With its complex political history, its strategic location, and its determination to play a larger role in world affairs, Turkey is a rising power in the international arena. Turkey''s Public Diplomacy is the first detailed English-language study of Turkey''s public diplomacy. A theme running throughout the chapters is Turkey''s quest for influence and how it tailors its public diplomacy to meet diverse needs - working warily with Iran, reemerging in former Ottoman territory in the Balkans, reaching out to the ''virtual state'' of Kurdistan, providing humanitarian aid to build a reputation as a valuable ally, among other examples. Emerging from this book is a picture of Turkey as a nation expanding its influence and possessing an increasingly sophisticated approach to international relations. Like some other nations, notably China, Turkey is relying not on military muscle but on softer forms of power as the key element of its strategy. Public diplomacy is an essential part of the foundation on which this strategy is built.
