Political Psychology of International Relations in the Frame of Populism Cases of Hungary and Türkiye

Background of the DissertationPopulism, by its very nature, operates primarily at the point of intersection of domestic and international politics and often obscures the boundaries between the two.At the domestic level, populism is characterized by its appeal to the "people" instead of perceived "elites".1 In contrast, at the international level, it often displays itself as resistance to global norms and institutions.2 Because of its dual focus, populism requires an analytical approach that combines micro-level interactions, such as the role of leaders, with macro-level dynamics, such as systemic pressures and societal responses.In this context, this dissertation takes a stance that the political psychology of populist international relations provides fertile ground for examining how populist leaders navigate and reshape the global order through their domestic and international strategies.This dissertation begins by outlining the theoretical framework, which provides a solid foundation to build this work.Here the political psychology of populist international relations, specifically taking Türkiye 3 and Hungary as case studies, is examined.To settle populism within the wider field of international relations, this study primarily utilizes a poststructuralist theoretical perspective as a foundation for situating populism within the field of international relations.Constructivism and neoclassical realism serve as supporting, secondary frameworks for contextualizing the discourses, offering corresponding insights into structural constraints (neoclassical realism) and identity formation (constructivism) as they relate to poststructuralism's focus on discourse and power dynamics.These theories offer corresponding insights into how populism operates as both a political and psychological phenomenon in the international arena.poststructuralism highlights the role of discourse in challenging established narratives and power structures and in constructing alternative views of international politics.4 1 Majia Nadesan and Amit Ron, "Between 'the People' and Elites: Introduction," in Mapping Populism: Approaches and Methods, ed.Majia Nadesan and Amit Ron (New York: Routledge, 2020): 123-145.; Matthijs Rooduijn, "The Nucleus of Populism: In Search of the Lowest Common Denominator," Government and Opposition 49, no. 4 (2014): 573-599.2 Mahmoud Metawe, "Populism and Domestic/International Politics: Theory and Practice," Review of Economics and Political Science 9, no. 3 (2024): 194-211, at 205. 3 The country name "Turkey" has been changed to "Türkiye" at the UN (United Nations, "Turkey's Name Changed to Türkiye," UN News, 2022, https://turkiye.un.org/en/184798-turkeys-name-changed-t%C3%BCrkiye.).Therefore, in this dissertation the name is going to be used as Türkiye.