Neo-Ottomanism – A legitimate scientific term or literary rhetoric? The legitimisation of use of the term neo-Ottomanism in modern geopolitical discourse on Turkish New Foreign Policy

In the last two decades the term neo-Ottomanism was widely used both by scholars as well as by journalist, however in the great majority of the analyzed literature the lack of the clear definition of the term is obviously remarkable. In many cases use of this term varies and depends on the attitude of the author toward Turkish New Foreign Policy and reproduces political and cultural stereotypes. Basing on the meaning of the term ottomanism/osmanism and taking into consideration foreign policy of Ottoman Empire in the 19th and beginning of the 20th Century the authors try to define and precisely determine the term neo-Ottomanism (frequently used also as neo-Osmanism). By employing critical analysis of the existing literature on neo-Ottomanism the authors aim first to compare use of this term by Western scientists/journalists and by researchers and publicists from the areas which are the subjects to the so-called Turkish neo-Ottoman policy (first of all Western Balkans, Caucasus and Middle East) and second to answer the questions whether using the term neo-Ottomanism to describe New Turkish Foreign Politics is legitimized in terms of its historical connotation.