The perception of Turkey as a model of attractive country in the region has started to change in the recent years. In the first decade of the JDP rule Turkey was seen as an emerging power with its strong economy, improving democracy and inspiring foreign policy. However, the developments since the Arab Uprisings in the neighbourhood, Gezi movement at home, end of the Kurdish peace process, as well as coup attempt and subsequent de-democratisation harmed the soft power of Turkey. This study argues that the JDP’s understanding of democracy and democratisation has been full of flaws from the very beginning of its rule. The Turkish example shows that countries can experience subsequent processes of de-democratisation and de-democratisation if governing parties did not endogenise the basic norms of democracy. Therefore, it is argued that the reverse wave of de-democratisation characterises Turkey more than the “selective” processes of democratisation. It is also argued that JDP elite via its discourse has been constructing the West as the ‘Other’.

中文翻译：

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正义与发展党对民主与民主化的理解：文化相对主义与西方作为“他者”的建构

近年来，土耳其已成为该地区具有吸引力的国家的典范。在JDP统治的头十年，土耳其被视为新兴国家，其强劲的经济，改善的民主和鼓舞人心的外交政策。然而，自邻国阿拉伯起义以来的事态发展，盖兹运动在国内，库尔德和平进程结束，政变企图和随后的非民主化损害了土耳其的软实力。这项研究认为，JDP从其一开始就对民主和民主化的理解就充满了缺陷。土耳其的例子表明，如果执政党没有使民主的基本准则内生，那么各国将经历随后的民主化和民主化进程。所以，有人认为，反民主化的反向浪潮对土耳其的特征不仅仅在于民主的“选择性”过程。也有人认为，JDP精英通过其话语将西方建设为“其他”。