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The Current Politics of Eastern Mediterranean Sea

The Current Politics of Eastern Mediterranean Sea

Radio Re:volt vor 11 Monaten

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56:22

In this episode of Radio Revolt, host Fatih Kalkan delves into
one of the most intricate geopolitical regions in the
world, which is the East Mediterranean. Once the
energy sources first found in the early 1990s, the region
expected to become a potential hub for peace and cooperation
through shared energy resources, contrarily, the region has
instead become an arena for growing competition and mistrust
among neighbouring states

Diverging national interests, exclusionary energy projects such
as the EastMed pipeline, and the failure of liberal
internationalist approaches have turned energy from a
peace-building opportunity into a source of conflict. Countries
like Turkey, Greece, Israel, and Cyprus have become entangled in
a web of disputes over maritime borders, exclusive economic
zones, and security alliances.

To unpack these complex layers, Kalkan is joined by Prof. Zuhal
Mert Uzuner from Marmara University, an expert in Greek–Turkish
relations and East Mediterranean politics. Together, they explore
the geopolitical narratives driving the region — from the
centrality of the Cyprus question and the breakdown of
Turkish–Israeli cooperation to the growing strategic autonomy
debate surrounding Turkey’s Blue Homeland (Mavi Vatan) doctrine.

The conversation examines how geography, history, and national
identity shape regional rivalries: why the Black Sea remains
relatively stable while the Mediterranean faces perpetual
tension; how schoolbooks, media, and literature reinforce
national myths; and why every decade brings a new crisis without
resolving the old ones. Through these discussions, the programme
offers listeners a nuanced understanding of how
energy, identity, and strategic ambition
intersect to redefine power politics in the East Mediterranean.