From Competition to Compartmentalization: Rethinking Türkiye‐Gulf Relations

Abstract For nearly a decade following the Arab uprisings, relations between Ankara and key Gulf capitals were marked by intense rivalry and proxy contestation across several regional arenas, notably in Egypt and Syria. Why did relations shift toward pragmatic cooperation after such prolonged polarization? This study revisits the concepts of the Turkish and Gulf models of regional order. It argues that Türkiye's behavior during the Arab uprisings was shaped primarily by geopolitical calculations and regime‐alignment logic rather than by a coherent project of democracy promotion. The tensions that emerged between Ankara and Gulf states therefore reflected competing visions of regional order. Between 2011 and 2021, these rival models generated polarization, after which relations shifted toward compartmentalization and pragmatic normalization. This article is part of a series guest edited by Hamdullah Baycar and Betul Dogan‐Akkas, based on the Gulf Studies Symposium organized by the Gulf International Forum, April 11–12, 2025, at Georgetown University in Washington.