psir bulletin - Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi Siyaset Bilimi ve Uluslararası

psir bulletin - Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi Siyaset Bilimi ve Uluslararası

WINTER/SPRING 2015
PSIR BULLETIN 1
PSIR BULLETIN
Welcome…
Dear Friends, Colleagues and Students,
Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi
İ.İ.B.F.
Siyaset Bilimi ve Uluslararası
İlişkiler Bölümü
Yıldız Kampüsü, Beşiktaş
0212 3832549
http://www.sbu.yildiz.edu.tr
In This Issue
 Welcome
 Department
Activities
 New Publications
 Activities of the
Faculty
 Comment
We are presenting the first issue of our bulletin for the Spring 2015 term. Our
series of activities at the Department of Political Science and International
Relations of Yildiz Technical University (conferences, meetings, seminars, and
roundtable talks) have been going on with the participation of our
departmental members together with representatives of various universities,
think tanks and visual and print media. We are trying to discuss in detail
various topics of international and national politics in a multi-dimensional
setting. From the feedback we received emerged an idea: Why not prepare a
bulletin that makes our meetings more permanent and easier to follow? Our
younger colleagues lent a hand, departmental colleagues supported and we
have prepared this first issue. In this issue you will find the academic
activities of the department and of our members. Our aim is to make this
bulletin more than an announcement board, and create a platform, a modest
one for the time being, where all our colleagues in our field and in adjacent
fields could think about possible venues of cooperation and dialogue. That is
why we wanted to include a commentary/analysis on the actual issues that
were debated in the period covered by the bulletin. In our first issue, Assoc.
Prof. Çiğdem Nas commented on the challenges and opportunities faced the
European political integration on the basis of the consequences of the recent
elections in Greece. There are more topics to discuss, issues to consider and
work to do... We hope our bulletin to be a beginning for different projects in
this respect.
I say welcome on behalf of all our friends involved,,
Prof. Dr. Nurşin Ateşoğlu Güney
WINTER/SPRING 2015
PSIR BULLETIN 2
///DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES///
March 25: Talks on Art and Politics with Tamer Levent
In the first of the series of talks on Art and Politics, Tamer Levent gave a speech titled "Art:
Thinking on the Relationship between Art and Politics in Europe and Turkey", focusing on
the concept of art and philosophy art and debating its relationship with politics. The presenter
highlighted how the concept was examined from the Aristotle to modern times, pointing at
how art affected societies as a transformative and critical power comparatively in the cases of
Europe and Turkey. Stated by Aristotle as "good, beautiful, and right", art has been defined as
the creation of a superior value, and its relationship with politics discussed through political
culture and philosophy of art. In this context, art had a particular importance of the
Renaissance in the individualization, diversification and acceptance of differences in European politics, while the social
acceptance of art as a philosophical value has been lacking in Turkey and the Middle East, with reflections on the political
culture.
March 18: The Anatomy of Power on the Eve of Elections
As part of the annual activities organized to commemorate the founder of our
department, late Prof. Dr. Kemâli Saybaşılı, a panel was organized on the topic of "The
Anatomy of Political Power on the Eve of Elections". Chaired by Cengiz Arın, the panel
participants included Tanıl Bora, Sinan Birdal and Büke Koyuncu. Following Tanıl Bora's
overview of the historical evolution of Islamic thought in Turkey and its current
configuration, Sinan Birdal (Işık University) gave a speech emphasizing the historical and
structural continuities of current trends in foreign policy. Büke Koyuncu (Mimar Sinan
Fine Arts University), in turn, presented an overview of Ak Parti's use of the concept of
"nation" at the ideological and rhetorical level.
March 16: Roundtable Lecture by Sylvia Tiryaki
As part of the graduate level International Political course, the session on March 16, 2015 was
titled "Rethinking Cyprus in the Light of Recent Developments". In her presentation, Assist.
Prof. Sylvia Tiryaki from the Department of International Relations, Kültür University
commented on the current developments in the Cyprus issue. Her presentation covered in
detail the most significant items of the agenda, including the coming presidential elections in
KKTC, the topic of the use and sharing of hydrocarbon resources, the military agreement
between south Cyprus and Russia together with the objections of the USA, and finally the final
solution of the Cyprus Issue.
March 15: International Protocol for Cooperation and Call for Participation
Our department has signed a cooperation protocol with Khmelnitskyi National University in Ukraine. Within this framework,
an international conference will be held in Lviv in September 25-27, 2015, organized by the Ministry of Education of Ukraine,
Khmelnitskyi National University, European University of Ukraine, University of California, Florida Institute of Technology,
The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Northwestern State University, Academy of Government by the President of
Belarus, Polesskiy State University and our department. Application dates and conditions can be found at the invitation
published on our website. The general theme of the conference is Socio-Economic Aspects of International Relations
Development in the 21st Century. Participants are expected to contribute on the following subthemes: Current issues in
Society and Economics Studies; International relations development in the modern world; Current issues in Management.
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PSIR BULLETIN 3
Khmelnitsky National University and American International Journal of Economics and Society have started to publish a new
academic journal: IJES (International Journal of Economics and Society). Prof. Dr. Nurşin Ateşoğlu Güney from our
department is also on the editorial board, and the journal is open to your articles and contributions. Detailed information can
be found at the journal’s website (http://www.ijournales.org/) and in the call for paper published on our website. The
journal aims to be publish multidisciplinary works in the fields of Economics and Social Sciences, expecting applications in the
following topics: Political Science; International Relations; Pedagogics; History; Psychology and sociology; Economics; Public
Administration; Philosophy.
March 11: A group of students from Denmark visited our Department
A group of 30 high school students from Denmark visited Yildiz Technical University as part of their Turkey
tour. The Danish student group also visited the Department of Political Science and International Relations,
and consulted Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas on the topic of Turkey-EU relations. Nas gave a presentation on the
historical development of Turkey-EU relations, the problems and public perceptions. Mentioning that
Turkey's relations with the EU is based on the 1963 Ankara Agreement, Nas pointed at the problems in the
accession talk continuing since 2005. The meeting continued with the Q&A session.
March 9: Roundtable Lecture by Çiğdem Nas
As part of the graduate level International Political course, the session on March 9, 2015 was titled "Solutions to the Crisis in
Europe and the EU". In the speech presented by Assoc. Prof. Çiğdem Nas, a member of our department faculty, the
institutional structure and policy making process of the EU were summarized, followed by an overview of the economic crisis
that started in 2008 and the policies developed by the EU to overcome it: It was noted that the measure taken to overcome
the economic crisis increased the influence of EU institutions in monetary and budgetary issues while these developments
strengthened anti-EU movements in member states. Finally, the crucial issues that the EU should tackle in the short and
middle term were mentioned, including the future orientation of the EU integration process, the construction of a European
identity, the problem of representation of the people of member states by the EU institutions (the Democratic Deficit), EU's
competitive power and the problem of growth, the issue of population and migration, and the EU enlargement..
March 4: Roundtable Lecture by Ali Semin
As part of the graduate level International Political course, the session on March 9, 2015 was titled
"Syria and Iraq in the Face of ISIS". In the presentation by Ali Semin, who is working on Middle East
politics at the BILGESAM, the topics covered included the political developments in Iraq and Syria
following the invasion of Iraq and the civil war in Syria, as well as the emergence of the terrorist
organization ISIS in this context. The emergence, development, organizational structure and
financial resources of the ISIS were examined in detail. With the contributions of the participants,
recent developments in Iraq and Syria were discussed.
February 25: Roundtable Lecture by Prof. Dr. Beril Tuğrul
Prof. Dr. Beril Tuğrul conducted a highly informative roundtable lecture on energy policies, the
role of nuclear energy in energy policies, energy policies in Turkey and the actual situation in
the works on nuclear energy. Presenting striking statements throughout her speech, Prof.
Tuğrul emphasized that the road for a country towards a high-technology economy relied on
continuing nuclear energy studies.
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PSIR BULLETIN 4
December 12, 2014: US-Turkey Relations: Opportunities and Challenges
The strategic factors that impacted on Turkey-US relations were discussed in detail with the
valuable participation of speakers from National Defense University Near East and South East
Center for Strategic Studies (Prof. Dr. Roger Kangas, Prof Dr. Gawdat Bahgat and Prof. Dr.
Muhaf Jouejati).
December 10-11, 2014: Joint Middle East Workshop by ORSAM, NESA and YTÜ
A 2-day workshop was organized in order to consider recent development in the Middle
East, participated by scholars, journalists, members of various think-tanks from both within
and outside the region, together with representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
.
///NEW PUBLICATIONS///
Ali Rıza Büyükuslu, İnovasyon ve Girişimcilik Ekonomisi ve Yönetimi Üzerine Yazılar, Derin Yayınları, İstanbul, 2014.
Ergun Aydınoğlu, Fis Köyünden Kobanê’ye - Kürt Özgürlük Hareketi, Versus Yayınları, Aralık 2014.
Nursin A. Guney, Why Saudi Arabia is Weaponizing the Price of Oil, Bilgesam Analysis, Energy, 1185, 3 February
2015, http://www.bilgesam.org/Images/Dokumanlar/0-100-20150203291185.pdf
Nursin A. Guney, “Kuzey Amerika Kaya Gazı Devrimi Avrupa’nın Enerji Görünümünü Değiştirebilir mi?”, Bilgesam Analiz,
Enerji, 1169, 20 Feburary 2015, http://www.bilgesam.org/Images/Dokumanlar/0-100-20150220131169_tr.pdf
Nursin A. Guney, "Can Turkey Rely on NATO in the Face of Threats Emanating From Its Southern and Eastern Neighbors",
Bilgesam Analysis, No, 1195, 20 March 2015. http://www.bilgesam.org/en//incele/2050/-can-turkey-rely-on-nato-in-theface-of-threats-emanating-from-its-southern-and-eastern-neighbors-/#.VQ7XNPysWWl
Nursin A. Guney (Oramiral-E- Saim Dervişoğlu, Doç. Dr. Atilla Sandıklı ve Bekir Ünal ile birlikte), “Bilgesam Heyetinin Pakistan
Ziyaret raporu”, İstanbul 2015, http://www.bilgesam.org/incele/1983/-bilgesam-heyetinin-pakistan-ziyareti-sonucraporu/#.VREUwfysWWk
///ACTIVITIES OF DEPARTMENT MEMBERS///
Aslı Daldal, was a member of the jury of the Turkish Film Critics Association (SİYAD) as part of the 14th Independent Film
Festival organized in Istanbul, February 12-22. The other jury members were Metin Gönenç and Esin Küçüktepepınar; and
Batin Ghobadi’s Mardan was selected for the Special Jury Award.
Ece Öztan ve S. N. Doğan (2015), "Gendering Science, Technology and Innovation: The Case of R&D in Turkey", XIII.
International Conference on Women in Science, Engineering and Technology ICWSET 2015, 11-12 March 2015, Dubai,
UAE
Elçin Macar attended a roundtable meeting at the panel “The Exile of Istanbul Rums in 1964” in Athens, organized by the
Center for Minor Asia Research Center and the Ecumenical Federation of the Rum. In his speech, Macar focused on the
academic difficulties in researching this topic.
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PSIR BULLETIN 5
Elçin Macar, “An opposition-abroad: Mustafa Sabri's Yarın newspaper”, Modernity Battling Tradition: The Introduction of
Kemalism to the Muslim Minority of Western Thrace, 1920 – 1930, Thessaloniki, 21 March 2015.
http://www.keith.gr/en/workshop
Fuat Aksu, "Uyuşmazlık-Çatışma-Kriz Sarmalında Türkiye'nin Dış Politika Krizleri", Güvenlik Çalışmalarında Yeni Kavramlar ve
Çatışmalar Uluslararası Sempozyumu, Gelişim Üniversitesi, İstanbul, 13 Mart 2015.
Mehmet Hacısalihoğlu, Research Grant (27 January-28 Feburary 2015), Institut für Ost- und Südosteuropa, Regensburg.
Research topic: Greece and Trukey 1945-1990.
Mehmet Hacısalihoğlu, Documentary film advisor, TRT, Machiel Kiel and Balkanlar, producer Metin Edirneli.
Mehmet Hacısalihoğlu, Documentary film advisor, CNNTürk, World War I, producer Taha Akyol.
Mehmet Hacısalihoğlu, Workshop: Handbuch für Südosteuropa, 20 February 2015, Regensburg.
Nurşin A. Güney, “The root causes of radicalism and factors behind the rise of radical groups”, Strategic Studies Summit,
ORSAM-NESA, 23-26 Mart 2015, Antalya.
Nurşin A. Güney, “ Ortadoğu’da Petrol ve Doğalgaz”, Ortadoğu Petrol ve Doğal Gaz Kongre ve Sergisi (EMEOGE 2015), TC
Enerji ve Tabi Kaynaklar Bakanlığı, Türkiye Petrolleri, BOTAŞ, MTA, 29 Mart-1 Nisan, 2015.
Nurşin A. Güney, “Opening and Closing Remarks of Strategy Development and Force Generation for Future Security
Environment Session”, Turkish War Colleges Command (TWCC) Army War College International Conference on Military
and Security Studies (ICMSS), March 10–11, 2015 TWCC Atatürk Wargaming & Convention Center, Istanbul.
Nurşin A. Güney, “Security in the Middle East”, Pakistan Navy College’s Visit to Bilgesam, 16 March 2015,
http://www.bilgesam.org/incele/2047/-pakistan-deniz-harp-akademisi'nin-bilgesam-ziyareti/#.VREUN_ysWWk
Nurşin A. Güney, “Russian Influence over Europe”, Comment of the Week, YATA-International, 21 February 2015,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZNKJ3_Up4Y
Nurşin A. Güney is commenting on the world agenda at the weekly TV program Gündem Saati on TRT-Türk. The program
videos can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J3kETco2-E.
Other TV comments by Nurşin A. Güney can be followed at @nursinguney.
Vişne Korkmaz, "Ukrayna Krizi Sonrası Transit Ülkeler Avrupa Enerji Güvenliğinin Neresinde Duruyor?", Enerji Güvenliğine
Yönelik Bölgesel Tehditler, Hazar Strateji Enstitüsü Kapalı Çalıştay, 4 Mart 2015.
Vişne Korkmaz, "Ukrayna Krizi Çerçevesinde Rusya-Bati İlişkilerini Anlamak", Hava Harp Akademisi, 20 Mart 2015.
Vişne Korkmaz, "Russian Foreign and Security Policy", Comment of the Week for YATA International, March, 2015.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfnuB7uxKFzx5sGws_LWwUw
///COMMENT///
EUROPEAN INTEGRATION AND THE GREEK DEBT CRISIS: WHAT SYRIZA MEANS FOR EUROPE
Çiğdem NAS
It is often said that the European integration project rests on a “permissive consensus” meaning silent consent of the
European peoples. Although the feeling of allegiance to the idea of a unified European continent may not be prevalent
among the majority of the population, the benefits accruing from it such as structural funds or right to free movement have
usually been sufficient to keep the silent consent intact and sustain the integration process. Since the 1990’s, this permissive
consensus can no longer be taken for granted in the EU. The failure of ratification of EU Treaties in Member states such as
Denmark and Ireland and lastly the failure of France and the Netherlands to ratify the “Treaty Establishing a Constitution for
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PSIR BULLETIN 6
Europe” due to rejection in referenda organized in both countries in 2005 were severe symptoms of a crisis of popular
support for the EU.
Growing Euroscepticism among the European peoples were also reflected in the strengthening of anti-EU parties at both the
left and right end of the political spectrum in many Member States such as France, Denmark, Britain, Belgium and the
Netherlands. The 2008 global crisis and the ensuing debt crisis in Southern European Member States such as Greece, Spain
and Italy exacerbated the problem by causing a serious reconsideration of the worth of the European integration project.
More people began to share the view that the EU is serving the interests of capital and not workers as a result of growing
problems of unemployment and erosion of social rights. Insufficient integration at the EU level in terms of social and labour
market- related policies resulted in the lack of a strong social dimension of European integration. The creation of the
Eurozone and economic and monetary union led to harmonization of monetary policies and coordination of economic and
budgetary policies among the Member States. After the financial crisis, the EU aimed to adopt extensive measures and
create new institutional mechanisms in order to strengthen the level of economic and monetary integration and devise tools
of supranational control over budgetary policies in the Euro area.
While such developments may be viewed as a growing supranationalism in financial and budgetary matters, denoted as
“executive federalism” by Jürgen Habermas, the EU could not instigate a parallel evolution of structures of democratic
representation at the European level. Moreover, the adoption of austerity policies led to diminishing social rights and
payments to citizens in many EU Member states thus further associating the EU with the creation of a new hegemonic centre
imposing a straitjacket on economic policies, and thereby stifling social rights.
The emergence of political parties and movements such as Syriza and Podemos can be directly associated with the crisis of
Europe embodying both an inability of national governments to govern and devise effective remedies to citizens’ problems
as well as a weakness of the EU in the area of social policies and democratic representation and participation. The European
project until now was supported by centre Left and centre Right parties in many Member States and reflected a “grand
coalition” at the centre of political life. However, radical movements emerging in Europe effectively channeled people’s
resentment towards austerity measures and inability of governments to deal with the crisis. One major argument was that
neoliberal policies are responsible for the crisis; however, it is again middle and lower-income classes that suffer the most
and assume the highest burden for the crisis while they are by no means responsible for its eruption.
Syriza effectively made the case for a rethink of the rescue package offered to Greece and the imposition of the Troika of
lenders. While the measures that were expected of the Greek government to put into force did not solve the crisis, such
measures also evaporated Greece’s chances of overcoming the negative effects of the crisis, leading to stagnation,
unemployment and loss of welfare. Syriza’s coming to power in Greece was evaluated by some circles as a threat to
European integration and future of the Euro area. It may be definitely a challenge to the EU but a healthy development since
Syriza represents the view of a majority of the Greek people. The EU can only improve the integration project by basing it on
a more sound foundation if it can successfully accommodate and integrate such radical movements and give a place to their
views and ideas about the direction of European integration.
 Our periodic bulletins as well information and news from our can be found on our website:
http://www.sbu.yildiz.edu.tr
 Invitation to our alumni and friends: We request you to inform us ([email protected]) on
academic and Professional activities and developments that you would like to be included in our
bulletin.
 Prepared by: Yetkin Başkavak, Ece Öztan, Eylem Tek