The Hâmi Concept in Turkish Foreign Policy: Evolving Foreign Policy Role Conceptions and Strategies

This paper explores the formation and transformation of various foreign policy roles in Turkish politics through the concept of Hâmi, from the 1990s to the present. In terms of foreign policy behavior, Hâmi refers to a state acting as a protector, supporter, or guardian in its international relations. A Hâmi state provides guidance, protection, and aid to (usually conceptualized as weaker or vulnerable) states or communities, often based on historical, cultural, or strategic ties. Although the term Hâmi may not have been explicitly used in Türkiye's foreign policy, the protective and supportive roles it represents became evident, especially after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the independence of the Turkic Republics. In the 1990s, this concept was often expressed metaphorically as Türkiye’s reach “from the Adriatic to the Great Wall of China.” We argue that Hâmi serves as a key concept reflecting Türkiye’s aspirations to become a protector, supporter, developer and/or guide. In later years, foreign policy roles that can be incorporated by this concept have been diversified as roles like “regional leader/model”, “central country” (merkez ülke) and “protector of the oppressed” (mazlumların hâmisi) became more prominent in Türkiye's foreign policy discourse. Although, they are followed with similar aspirations, these roles indicate a shift in Türkiye’s self-perception and strategy, expanding its influence beyond cultural ties to broader geopolitical and strategic goals. We observe that the Hâmi can serve as a unique homegrown concept that emanates from Turkiye’s foreign policy experiences. We utilize role theory to analyze the constitution, centrality, and evolution of the Hâmi concept in Turkish foreign policy. By using Hâmi as a unifying concept, we aim to reveal how Türkiye’s foreign policy roles have shifted and evolved in response to changing regional and global dynamics. We adopt computer-assisted qualitative content analysis (Nvivo) to examine foreign policy speeches of Türkiye's leaders and highlight various roles articulated by policymakers. In doing so we clarify how Türkiye has assumed different roles and aspires to position itself as a Hâmi state in its foreign policy in the post-Cold War period.