Browsing by Author "Ekinci, Didem"

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Open Access
Internalization of European minority norms : the case of Greece in the European Union
(2002) Ekinci, Didem
Coexistence of different ethnicities and cultural groups within the boundaries of Europe have come to be the subject matter of serious arguments of minority-related debates in the Continent to date, some of which have been translated into a series of institutional arrangements. These arrangements, relatively insufficiently embraced in earlier times, gave way to a broader yet compact arrangement by the European Union which is open to signature also by non-member states. However, due to the lack of value-free practices regarding minorities, certain “legally” European states such as Greece seem to prefer to adhere to nationhood-oriented policies whereby one state, one culture, one people is taken to be the norm. Given this mindset, the minorities in Greece are seen by the Greek state as supposed to be outside the borders, letting alone their peripheral locations. Although at a time when even non-member states strive to partake in the related affairs of the Union, close examination reveals that due to the strong and intrinsic existence of Greek nationalism encompassing its specific ingredients of religion, language, the imported belief that Greece sets a model civilization before all other nations, and similar Western intellect influence, Greece has come to deny the existence of its minority groups which this thesis seeks to examine in four parts. Based on such framework, it is seen with further elaboration by this thesis that within an unlimited time span, Greek minority policies and those of Europe display a discordant image, though the country is declared “European” by both Europe and itself.
Open Access
Turkey and Kosova: a chronicle of post-cold war bilateral relations
(Avrasya Stratejik Araştırmalar Merkezi, 2008) Ekinci, Didem
Türkiye’nin, Kosova’yla tarihsel süreç içinde geleneksel olarak yakın ilişkileri olmuştur. Soğuk Savaş sonrası dönem başladığında Kosova’nın bağımsızlık arzuları, Türkiye’nin dış ve iç politikası açısından hassas bir durum yaratmıştır. Türkiye, 1999 yılındaki NATO’nun Sırbistan’a karşı müdahalesinin karar verme süreçlerinde aktif rol almış ve söz konusu müdahaleye askeri gücüyle katkıda bulunmuştur. Kosova’nın statü müzakereleri boyunca, Türkiye, Kosova’ya Sırbistan’ın bir parçası muamelesi yapan 1244 sayılı BM Güvenlik Konseyi kararının yerini alabilecek yeni bir BM Güvenlik Konseyi kararı üzerindeki çalışmaları desteklemiştir. Kosova’nın bağımsızlık ilanının ardından ortaya çıkan yeni konjonktürde, Türkiye’nin Kosova’yla ikili ilişkilerini daha fazla geliştirmesi beklenmektedir.
Open Access
Turkey and the Balkans in the post-cold war era : diplomatic
(2009) Ekinci, Didem
This dissertation argues that as a region in which Turkey has been no stranger since the end of the 14th century, the Balkans poses political, military, and economic significance for Turkey. Turkey has strong historical ties with the Balkans; the region is a strategic link between Turkey and Europe; Ankara is concerned that the Turkish minority in the region remain integrated in their host countries; and there is also a remarkable amount of Balkan immigrants in Turkey who are influential on Ankara’s Balkan policies. Therefore, Turkey’s engagement in the regional developments intensified after 1990. However, the intensity of relations lost momentum after 1995 due to more pressing domestic and foreign policy issues, causing a lack of strong cooperation network between political, military and economic fields. In this framework, the main research questions in this dissertation will be based on finding under what circumstances Turkey’s political, diplomatic, economic and military relations towards the region have been formulated after 1990 and whether (and how) these policies displayed continuity or disruptions became possible throughout. It argues that well-worked policies towards the region can be achieved if political, diplomatic, economic and military relations are treated evenly.