Mavi Vatan – Blue Homeland Doctrine

This Book examines the legal foundations and geopolitical implications of Turkeys Blue Homeland doctrine (Mavi Vatan) from a Turkish perspective, addressing a critical gap in the predominantly Western-centric academic discourse, which disproportionately adopts the Greek viewpoint. Turkey asserts maritime sovereignty in the Aegean Sea, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Black Sea, invoking historical claims, international legal frameworks, and regional disputes. This study evaluates Turkeys legal position in opposition to prevailing interpretations of international maritime law, with particular emphasis on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), customary international law, and relevant treaty obligations. Through a comparative legal analysis of conflicting territorial claims, it defends the doctrinal legitimacy of Turkeys maritime claims while critically challenging the prevailing academic orthodoxy, which privileges Greek legal arguments to the detriment of an objective and balanced legal assessment.