Distrusted partnership: Unpacking Anti-Americanism in Turkey

Abstract

The decline of US-Turkey relations has been one ofthe most striking developments within NATO and thebroader Western alliance. This article sheds light onthis distrusted partnership by studying anti-Americansentiment in Turkish public opinion since the Arabuprisings of the 2010s. Employing a typology of anti-Americanisms introduced by Keohane and Katzenstein,it examines views of the United States and US-Turkeyrelations in the Turkish media and among the public,and it explores the conditions under which the decliningrelations could be reset. In particular, it shows how theruling Justice and Development Party exploits anti-USopinion, the Turkish media’s role, the stances of Turk-ish opposition groups, and the long-term consequencesfor the strained bilateral relationship.