The role of leadership discourses in the ontological construction of the organisation of turkic states as a regional power

Abstract

This study examines the influence of the discourses of member state leaders on the ontological construction of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) as both a political and social entity. While the OTS is an international organisation that prioritises cooperation among Turkic-speaking states by emphasising political, economic, cultural, and social dimensions, it is simultaneously in the process of constructing its own identity. Accordingly, the OTS is not merely a political formation but also seeks to establish itself within the international system with a distinctive identity rooted in a shared past, language, and culture, projected into the present and the future. In this respect, the discourses of leaders are significant as they reveal how the OTS positions itself within rapidly changing social spheres of the international system. Therefore, this study employs discourse analysis and content analysis methods to demonstrate how the political leaders’ statements of the OTS member states contribute to shaping the organisation’s ontological construction.