Old city of Damascus. Photo: Rasmus Steen/IMS

The Danish Insitute in Damascus and IMS are hosting a conference about Turkey's role in the Middle East and its relationship with Europe from 10 - 11 November

The conference is a forum for media actors working within or in relation to the Middle East, and offers an opportunity for academics and other actors to exchange views on a common subject.

The re-emergence of Turkey as a regional player in the Middle East

The conference wishes to explore the changes that Turkey – and the Turks – have been through in political, economic and social/religious terms, in order to understand how Turkey views its place in the world today, especially in regards to the Middle East. According to the concept not forming the basis for the conference, the organizers want to explore how this development influences the region, and the relations to Europe under the following pretext:

Turkey and the global political scene

Whereas Turkey's relations with Europe – not considering the de facto economic and bureaucratic progress – has consistently soured and cooled due to hesitancy and ambivalence from the European side, Turkey has steadily over the last decade been received more warmly by Middle Eastern actors as an active component of the region.

Seen often as one of the traditional three of the present four pillars of the Middle Eastern political system (the others being Egypt, Iran and now Israel), the question of what has brought Turkey back onto the political scene, could perhaps as well be turned around to: what has kept the Turks on the sideline for the larger part of a century?

Nation-building and nationalism

Finding and defining itself as a nation within the borders on a modern national state is, no doubt, a good part of the answer. It also raises the issue of how the experience of nation building and nationalism is manifesting Itself in political, economic, social and religious terms.

In regard to the Middle East it is safe to say that American self-alienation – leaving a vacuum for lesser players like Turkey and Qatar to fill – has been important, as has the political disappointment with Europe. Other obvious factors may be the fierce American-Russian energy struggle in Central Asia and, internally, the ascend to power of Islam orientated parties such as Refah and AKP. 

These factors may only be short term 'changeables', and the conference wishes to establish or understand whether or to what extent more long term determinants, external or internal, have lead to this significant shift in policy and orientation.

Where recently countries and actors of the region may have been desperate to grab any extended hand as a result of the American diplomatic exodus/military influx, the ever European 'non-position', and the brief influence of Russia and China there never the less seems to have been room for a reassessment of Turkey as a regional player not only based on anxiety.

In the case of Syria rapprochement became a reality immediately after the Ocalan/PKK incident in 1998-99, the 'dissolvement' of which allowed territorial issues to be put aside, accords on trade and water regulation to be ratified, as well, as a further development of political ties. 

New Turkish popularity in Arab world

No less significant has been the embrace of almost all things Turkish from the side of the Syrians, as well as other Arabs. From having been, at least for the general public, a non-existing neighbour, at the most associated with during 400 years of Ottoman 'occupation' – one finds a reverence towards - and reference to - Turkey, which have not been seen since the 'Istanbul craze' flourishing in the second half of the 19th century. 

This phenomenon is seen most obvious in the popularity of the Turkish soap operas being shown on primetime throughout the Arab world. Clearly a language is being spoken which, even when dubbed, resonates with the Arab public. How does this cultural identification foreshadow developments in Arab societies?

Finally the conference wishes to address how a continuous Turkish involvement in the Middle East will affect the balance between Turkey and the EU. It raises the questions, first, if Turkey will be seen as a more attractive partner to be admitted into the club – and, second, if admitted, would Turkey's special position lead to a change in the European approach to the Middle East, or would Turkey be absorbed by its new realities?

About the conference:

The idea is to create a forum for media actors working within or in relation to the Middle East, as well an opportunity for academics, journalist and other actors to exchange views on a common subject. The aim is to present and debate aspects of the Arab and Middle Eastern world dealt with in a faint or dissatisfactory way in the media – Middle Eastern or Western – and ultimately to reformulate practices.

Three groups of participants are invited:

1/ Academics, whose message too often is directed to or picked up by its own community, will address the chosen topic from their specific angle of knowledge, and

2/ Correspondents, journalists, and editors, who will present and discuss the subject from the role and practice of the media – Middle Eastern and Western – as seen from the field or the editorial desk..

3/ Policy makers.

Additional to the below mentioned moderators and speakers a number of other correspondents, editors and media people are invited to participate in the conference.

The academic participants will present a paper and journalist/media participants an essay to be published in book form, as well as being laid out on the internet site the Danish Institute in Damascus.

Danish Institute in Damascus

The ‘Aqqad House is the residence of the Danish Institute for Culture and Science in Damascus. The Institute is a self-owning institution set up in 1997 in an agreement between Denmark and Syria.

The first ‘Aqqad House Media and Journalist Conference was held in 2008 on "The Ownerships of the Arab Economies".

Contact person for the conference: Jesper Berg, Phone +963 932 515656, E-mail berg.damascus[snabela]gmail.com