https://doi.org/10.1177/08969205231212677 Critical Sociology 1–22 © The Author(s) 2023 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions DOI: 10.1177/08969205231212677 journals.sagepub.com/home/crs The AKP’s ‘Embedded Neoliberalism’ and the Rise of ‘Authoritarian Embeddedness’ in Turkey Yonca Özdemir Haverford College, USA Abstract By analysing the dynamics of neoliberalism through a Polanyian lens, this article illustrates the complexities and consequences of neoliberalism in the Turkish context. It examines the rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Turkey as a manifestation of ‘embedded neoliberalism’. The article delves into the AKP’s ascent to power, its consolidation of authority, and, most notably, its subsequent shift towards authoritarianism and interventionism. It traces the evolution of the AKP’s governance, highlighting its trajectory from a period of ‘soft embeddedness’ to ‘authoritarian embeddedness’. During the ‘soft embeddedness’ phase (2002–2013), the AKP implemented neoliberal policies alongside improved access to credit and social programmes. However, as global economic conditions deteriorated and the contradictions of neoliberalism intensified by 2013, the phase of ‘authoritarian embeddedness’ ensued. This phase not only entailed overtly authoritarian politics but also witnessed an escalation of state interventionism in the economy further contributing to the crisis of the economy and state. Keywords authoritarianism, populism, Justice and Development Party (AKP), Turkey, Polanyi, embedded neoliberalism, countermovement, double movement Introduction Right-wing populist and authoritarian currents are presenting significant challenges to democra- cies worldwide today. The erosion of democracy is not limited to the Global South, as it is increas- ingly evident in advanced Western nations, such as the United States, where the spectre of right-wing populism poses a significant challenge. Although this regressive trend had already begun in the early 2000s, it accelerated notably following the global financial crisis of 2007–2008 Corresponding author: Yonca Özdemir, Department of Political Science, Haverford College, 370 Lancaster Avenue, Haverford, PA 19041, USA. Email: yozdemir@haverford.edu 1212677CRS 0 0 10.1177/08969205231212677Critical SociologyÖzdemir research-article 2023 Article