Makayla Byndum

Individual Sourcing Paper

Group 4
Cultural Analyst
Turkey- Baby PJ’s
 U.S.-Turkey relations date to 1831, when the United States established diplomatic relations
with the Ottoman Empire. After World War I and the founding of the Turkish Republic, the United

States established diplomatic relations with the Republic of Turkey in 1927. The Economic and
Technical Cooperation agreement between the United States and Turkey advanced the relationship
further. This agreement implemented the Truman Doctrine and its policy to support free peoples
who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures. Turkey has
also been a valued NATO Ally since 1952. While Turkey remains formally a NATO ally, it is not a

partner of the United States as they no longer share threats or interests that bind them together. In
recent years, tensions have increased as both countries have pursued policies that are perceived to be
harmful to the other. One major point of conflict is Turkey’s intention to purchase an air defense

system from Russia, who is a very known antagonist to the U.S. Overall, there is a serious of lesser

known but still serious conflicts that complicate the U.S.-Turkey relationship. In recent years, the
Turkish government and the government-friendly press intensified their anti-American messages
including by making threats to U.S. soldiers and officers in Syria. In terms of trade and economic
relations, trade between the two countries jumped from $10.8 billion to $21 billion in 10 years. n
2019, Turkey was the United States’ 28th largest goods export market and its 32nd largest supplier of
goods imports. Turkey is the 7th largest purchaser of U.S. liquified natural gas exports worldwide

and an emerging regional energy hub. The top categories of U.S. exports to Turkey include aircraft,

mineral fuels, iron and steel, machinery, optical and medical instruments. The top import categories
from Turkey include machinery, vehicles, carpets and other textile coverings, precious metals, and
stone, plaster, and cement. Reported U.S. direct investment in Turkey is led by manufacturing,
wholesale trade, and finance and insurance.
When it comes to interpersonal communication within the country, things are much more
complicated. The authoritarian and highly centralized presidential government of has set back
Turkey’s human rights record by decades, targeting perceived government critics and political
opponents, profoundly undermining the independence of the judiciary, and hollowing out democratic
institutions. Turkey withdrew from the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating
Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, known as the Istanbul Convention, a major
reversal for women’s rights. While most news outlets are owned by companies with close
government links, independent media in Turkey mainly operate via online platforms but are subject
to regular removal of content or prosecution for news coverage critical of senior government figures
and members of the President’s family or deemed to constitute an offense under Turkey’s highly
restrictive Anti-Terror Law. In 2021, 58 journalists and media workers were in prison or serving

sentences for terrorism offenses because of their journalistic work or association with media.
Authorities have selectively used Covid-19 as a pretext to ban peaceful protests by students, workers,
political opposition parties, and women’s and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT)
people’s rights activists. Turkey is the first country to have withdrawn from the Istanbul Convention.
The move in March drew widespread criticism internationally and saw protests by women’s rights
groups. Hundreds of women are murdered annually in Turkey and reported incidents of domestic

violence remain high. The government banned the annual LGBT Pride march in Istanbul for the

seventh successive year and police violently dispersed and detained protesters. Senior government
officials have on several occasions attacked and encouraged discrimination against LGBT people in
their political speeches. Authorities use terrorism and defamation charges to harass rights defenders,

and to violate their right to assembly. The Law on Preventing Financing of Proliferation of Weapons

of Mass Destruction was passed in January 2021. Turkey has justified the law as an effort to bring
the country into compliance with binding United Nations Security Council resolutions to prevent
financing of terrorism and weapons proliferation, however the law furnishes the Interior Ministry
with greater powers to target NGOs’ legitimate and lawful activities and the right to association of
their members. Turkey continues to host the world’s largest number of refugees, around 3.7 million
from Syria granted temporary protection status, and over 400,000 from Afghanistan, Iraq, and other
non-European countries, who under Turkish law cannot be fully recognized as refugees. Continuing
its policy of securing its borders against the entry of more asylum seekers and migrants, Turkey
continued building a wall in 2021 along its eastern border with Iran, and summarily pushing back
Afghans and others apprehended attempting to cross the border. There have also been signs of a rise

in racist and xenophobic attacks against foreigners. In regard to Turkish culture, overall individuals
can be deemed as accepting of foreign visitors. Hospitality is a central virtue in Turkey. Turks are
known to be highly generous to their guests, as hosting is considered an honor. People in Turkey are
labeled as harmonious, friendly, hospitable, and helpful. Common etiquette in Turkey involves not
chewing gum when talking to someone of a higher status or at a formal occasion, women not
crossing their legs while sitting, and overall being modest and polite.
As a woman working in Turkey, it is very similar to the western world. Women were barely
in the workplace until after World War II. Gender-based stereotyping is also very prevalent in
Turkish work culture and the chance of getting a physical job is limited. Turkish law allows a
maximum working week of 45 hours, but some employers ignore this rule. In 2017, collective
agreements covered only 1,282,525 workers. According to the Labor Act, differential remuneration
for similar jobs or for work of equal value is not permissible, but differential wages may be paid
where there are differences among employees’ levels of skill, training, seniority, merit, or dexterity.
If employees are granted flat-rate wage increases, however, the Court of Cassation holds that the
principle of equal treatment should apply. While the overall gender pay gap favors female
employees, it favors male employees at all levels in education. The gender pay gap was -1.1% and -
0.4% in 2010 and 2014 respectively.
Although there has been a good trade relationship between Turkey and the U.S. in past years,
the trade relationship should not be continued. From sourcing point-of-view the relationship can be
deemed as unstable not only politically but because of social conflicts in the country and with the
U.S.
 References

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Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/report/future-u.s.-turkey

Evason, N. (n.d.). Turkish culture. Cultural Atlas. Retrieved from

https://culturalatlas.sbs.com.au/turkish-culture/turkish-culture-etiquette

Hakan Seckinelgin (2016) Social policy and conflict: the Gezi Park–Taksim demonstrations and
uses of social policy for reimagining Turkey, Third World Quarterly, 37:2, 264-
280, DOI: 10.1080/01436597.2015.1089164

Hekimler, B. U. (2019, June 27). Living and working in Turkey. Eurofound. Retrieved from
https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/country/turkey#equality-and-nondiscrimination-at-
work

U.S. Department of State. (2023, January 9). U.S. relations with Turkey (Türkiye) - united states
department of state. U.S. Department of State. Retrieved from https://www.state.gov/u-s-
relations-with-turkey/