Research centers in Turkiye: Knowledge-power conception of Foucault

This study analyzes the activities of strategic research centers in Turkiye through Michel Foucault's theory of power-knowledge relations. Foucault's concept highlights how knowledge, beyond producing reality, shapes power relations and impacts society. In this context, the role of strategic research centers in Turkiye's policymaking and the interaction between knowledge production and power are examined. The study explores how knowledge functions as part of power mechanisms, shaping societal structures. The quality of knowledge produced by strategic research centers, how policymakers utilize it, and its influence on power relations are investigated. The study further delves into the role of these centers in knowledge production, distribution, and utilization, and how these processes integrate into policymaking. According to Foucault, power is inseparable from knowledge, with both continually producing and reproducing power relations. This dynamic defines how knowledge spreads, which is accepted, and which discourses dominate, influencing societal structures and individuals. By examining the knowledge production processes of strategic research centers, this study provides insights into how these processes are evaluated and utilized by policymakers. The focus is on areas where knowledge is produced, by whom it is used, and how it is integrated into policies. The findings contribute to understanding the power-knowledge dynamics in Turkiye's policymaking, offering key insights into how strategic research centers support the development of effective, knowledge-based policies. These centers play a critical role in shaping Turkiye's national and international strategies. In conclusion, this study reveals how strategic research centers impact Turkiye's policymaking processes and how these impacts are shaped by power-knowledge dynamics, offering significant recommendations for the development of more strategic, knowledge-based policies. Keywords Strategic Research Centers, Think Tanks, Knowledge-Power Relationship, Think Tanks in Turkiye, Strategic Thinking