M.A. Theses

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A marxist reading of Kuroshima Denji
(Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2020., 2020.) Saf, Kemal.; Babaoğlu, Lale.; Baykara, Oğuz.
Although there exist many critical studies discussing Japanese proletarian literature, Kuroshima Denji, an anti-war proletarian writer and his works, unfortunately, still have not drawn much interest from academic circles. Moreover, Kuroshima Denji has been defined more as an anti-war writer rather than a proletarian author since most proletarian authors tend to write about the relationship between workers and the capitalist class. Nonetheless, knowing about Kuroshima Denji’s works will clarify and contribute to the understanding of the conditions that gave birth to the proletarian literature in Taishō or even in Meiji Japan. This thesis discusses Kuroshima Denji’s stories within the scope of a Marxist literary critique, and it details a deeper understanding of his sociopolitical viewpoint mentioned in his novels.
Artificial intelligence for social good :|from a global perspective to a regional one
(Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2020., 2020.) Bağlar, Nazlı Almira.; Öztürkmen, Arzu,
This thesis looks into the question of how the use of artificial intelligence can be utilized for the social good, what problems can it alleviate and what possible solution we can discover by using these new technologies around aligned with the specific needs of the countries with an emphasis on cases from Japan and China. In answering this question, the reports on the subjects from governments, international organizations, global and regional NGOs are used as a framework to reach conclusions about the means AI-based technologies are implemented for the purpose of social good. While considering these notions, the thesis also examines the proposed and applied AI legislations of the countries, the approaches made by various technology companies and the views from academia. Just like many other organizations and institutions working on the subject, the thesis uses the United Nations’ Sustainable Goals as a general scheme while addressing the societal problems that can be solved by AI applications, and offers advices for future frameworks while enabling social good.
Branding Washoku as an instrument of Japanese soft power
(Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2021., 2021.) Yahşi, Merve.; Öztürkmen, Arzu,; Küçükyalçın, Erdal.
Japanese food has become a global trend over the past two decades, and boosted the international standing of Japan. This study delineates the role of Japanese cuisine, or washoku, as an instrument of Japanese soft power. It traces how washoku was transformed into a strong national brand and how this brand was framed differently in domestic and global contexts. This thesis argues that while the promotion of washoku abroad depicts it as a flourishing cuisine based on characteristics such as respect to nature, seasonality, and a well-balanced diet, in the domestic context it is designed to address issues like a decreasing domestic interest in Japanese foods and the need for greater self-sufficiency in food production. This thesis also argues that through the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List nomination process, Japan was able to combine these two concerns and create a comprehensive strategy to strengthen the washoku brand on both national and global levels.
Bunka Gaikō (Japan’s Cultural Diplomacy) :|re-constructing Japanese identity in France and Turkey (1952-1989)
(Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Social Sciences, 2022., 2022.) Karaoğlu, Semiha.; Öztürkmen, Arzu,; Esenbel, Selçuk,
Japan has evolved into a cultural nation in the aftermath of World War II owing to the promulgation of the Article 9 of the Constitution of Japan. Given its pacifist culture and emerging role as a responsible member of the global society, cultural diplomacy became the primary and immediate foreign policy instrument to reconstruct Japanese identity in international relations long before the theory of Soft Power emerged. The present research unveils Japan’s identity reconstruction through cultural diplomacy as a rehabilitative and constructive foreign policy mechanism to heal its image as a peace-loving nation by comparing Japan’s cultural diplomacy in France and Turkey between 1952 and 1989 comparatively to discern what kind of perception of Japan has emerged as a product of Japan’s international cultural policies in both countries. Ultimately, the thesis reveals that Japan’s cultural diplomacy in France has generated an intellectual ecosystem, whereas, in Turkey, the perception of Japan and Japanese culture remains underdeveloped due to the lack of an official culture house—inaugurated by the Government of Japan—which can constitute a legitimate institute or culture house to coordinate international cultural policies.
Changing the status of the presidency: A comparison of constitutional amendments in South Korea and Turkey
(Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2017., 2017.) Demirbulak, Hülya Görkem.; Öztürkmen, Arzu,; Esenbel, Selçuk,
The aim of this thesis is to plot South Korea and Turkey’s journey towards a constitutional amendment by focusing on their current debates about changing the status of the presidency and to find an answer to the question of whether the intended changes to the respective countries’ constitutions will bring them close to a democratic presidential system. In this context, in this study, a general framework of both countries’ constitutional developments throughout history and the characteristics of their constitutions will be drawn, and the parallelisms in their constitutional histories will be highlighted. Furthermore, the ongoing debates on constitutional revision appertaining to the presidency will be handled with the main matters in question and a comparative assessment will be made within the scope of the similarities and divergences between two countries. As the fundamental legal document defining basic principles of the state, regulating its relationship with the citizens, and reflecting the nation’s history, its future goals, and its view of the world, a constitution constitutes a basis to fully understand a country. For this very reason, by examining the process of South Korean and Turkish constitutional developments throughout history and the current debates on constitutional amendments, this thesis offers the opportunity to thoroughly perceive both countries’ political tradition, to better interpret our modern day, and to make more to-the-point inferences about their futures.
China's developmental state and the main determinants of its growth during the reform era
(Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2016., 2016.) Genç, Hüseyin Oğuz.; Öztürkmen, Arzu,; Esenbel, Selçuk,
This master thesis examines China’s national development in late 20th century in the light of Japan’s development process that has started with the Meiji restoration in late 19th century. The research is conducted in five parts in which starts with an introduction that provides a basic ideological discussion over the ideas on development and hegemony, and continues to discuss the main framework of ‘the developmental state’ theory developed by Chalmers Johnson in the early 1980s. A brief background to the theory is also presented during the first chapter, which is followed by the second chapter that offers a retrospective showcase for the ‘Japanese developmental state’ that follows with the Korean and Taiwanese and some other successful and failed examples of the model. Nonetheless, the economic stagnation in Japan that has started in the early 1990s is pictured to show the whereabouts of the ‘developmental state’ at the very place it started. The third chapter starts with China’s development story starting from the post-1978‘reform’ era. The political economy and the institutional structure of the Chinese state until recent years are examined to understand whether the Chinese state suits the ‘East Asian developmental state’ model at any measure. The fourth part includes a mathematical analysis to see whether the provided data for a wide range of Chinese industries support China’s development model to evoke the Japanese case. The fifth and the last part winds up with a conclusion.
Emerging energy trends in East Asia :|the relationship between production levels and world oil prices
(Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2019., 2019.) Arslan, Türkan.; Öztürkmen, Arzu,; Temiz, Kadir.
This thesis looks at the emerging energy trends in East Asia between the nations of Japan, China, and South Korea and the importance they have in the global energy market. Even though the world supply-demand situation of oil has been simplified due to the alternative energy sources in the past several decades, still oil is the most needed input for production. Industrialized countries such as Japan, China, and South Korea are known to be huge consumers of the oil and petroleum products for meeting high demand. In microeconomics, supply and demand relationship is one of the economic models of price determination; the price of a product can differ in time significantly according to the market. Therefore, the question is whether the demand of East Asia for petroleum has any impact on this price determination. I have observed that some reports and economists claim that the increasing demand for oil from East Asia is the key factor for oil prices to fluctuate for the last couple of years.
Hyundai Motor Company’s overseas manufacturing policy :|the analysis of Turkey as a production site
(Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2021., 2021.) Uçar, Kuntay Yiğit.; Babaoğlu, Lale.; Hong, Hyun Woong.
By the 1980s, the dominance globalization was felt on the world economy. Large companies in developed countries have started to make overseas investments in order to make more profit, consequently they have turned into multinational companies. Developing countries also need to have some qualifications to attract these investments in to their own countries for economic development and stability. Foreign direct investments have effects on many macroeconomic indicators such as employment, exports, balance of payments, production, and inflation of the host country. Due to the understanding of the importance of these investments in Turkey by 1970s, foreign direct investments on Turkish Automotive Sector started. Automotive sector has a key role on economic development for both developed and emerging countries. It is known that automotive sector has a very important place for the Turkish economy. Foreign capital investments on automotive sector played an important role for the growth of the Turkish economy. In this context, it has become necessary to conduct more studies on foreign capital investments made in automotive industry, which can be seen as the locomotive sector of country's economy. In this thesis, the development and growth of the Turkish Automotive Industry with foreign capital investments has been examined in light of the investments made by South Korean Hyundai Motors Company in Turkey. In addition, the effects of Hyundai Assan joint venture on country's economy and the results of these effects in terms of economy, politics and social areas are examined.
Impact of government policies on the development of the Korean wave
(Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Social Sciences, 2023., 2023) Öniz, Çağla.; Öztürkmen, Arzu, 1965- .
The Korean Wave has turned into a global phenomenon over the past decade. Whereas the popularity of the Korean Wave was mostly limited to Asia until the end of the 2000s, it started to spread all over the world from the early 2010s and evolved from niche cultural trend status to a global phenomenon. In a world dominated by Western cultural hegemony, South Korea has become one of the few countries that can export many forms of its cultural content globally. This thesis investigates the reasons behind the spread of the Korean Wave, and discusses the role of the South Korean government and Korean conglomerates, as well as the importance of digital platforms. This study also explores the contribution of the development and spread of the Korean Wave to South Korea.
Japan’s constitutional revision debate in the light of domestic and regional developments
(Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2019., 2019.) Öçalan, Can.; Babaoğlu, Lale.; Esenbel, Selçuk,
The biggest factor that makes the Japanese constitution special is its pacifist article which blocks Japanese army to be deployed in overseas. This constitution, which was written during the American invasion, has not been changed for 70 years. Until the end of the Cold War, Japan displayed a passive and quiet stance in the bipolar world. But the internal and external changes that took place after the Cold War led Japan to rearrange its policies. The pragmatists in the Liberal Democratic Party, lost their power and the bipolar world order is long gone. This complexity gave birth to push Japan to adopt a different policy, particularly to revise its constitution. The main aim of this thesis is to examine the reasons behind the constitutional revision and to prove that these reasons are actually intertwined.
Nasreddin Efendi (Afanti) in the Chinese media:|A state instrument for coping with the Uyghur issue
(Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2019., 2019.) Can, Gözde.; Öztürkmen, Arzu,; Kuzuoğlu, Uluğ.
This thesis looks into the question of how Nasreddin Hodja is used in the Chinese media under the Chinese name ''Afanti'' as a state instrument for coping with the Uyghur issue. In answering this question, Afanti animated films that have been produced and broadcasted in China since the foundation of the People‘s Republic of China are taken into consideration. These animated films are Afanti de Gushi阿凡提的故事 (The Story of Afanti), Shaonian Afanti少年阿凡提 (The Young Afanti), Laoxiao Afanti老小阿凡提 (The Old and the Little Afanti), Afanti Xinzhuan阿凡提新传 (Legend of Afanti), and Afanti Zhi Qiyuan Lixian阿凡提之奇缘历险 (The Adventure of Afanti). Through an analysis of the Chinese state‘s minority policies and a comparison with the related animated films, it is seen that Afanti figure has been constructed as a state tool to handle the Xinjiang issue, to rebuild a state sanctioned Xinjiang image, to integrate Xinjiang into China, and to position Xinjiang under Chinese hegemony with an oriental approach. This repositioning is intended both for the Uyghur and the Han audience. Through this usage, the state-constructed Afanti image is also promoted as a state-approved Uyghur ethnic role model for the Uyghurs. Through these animated films, a shared modernity, secularity, and Han Uyghur integration is also aimed.
“One Nation, Two States”: Turkey–Azerbaijan economic relations and the rhetoric of Turkic identity
(Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2018., 2018.) İskender, Barış.; Öztürkmen, Arzu,; Atlı, Altay,
The rhetoric of “One Nation, Two States” has been dominating the official expressions of Turkey-Azerbaijan relations since the independence of the latter in 1991. Along the way, both countries have been cooperating in energy politics, regional disputes, and bilateral trade. However, it is not evident what role being Turkic plays in the commercial relations of Turkish businessmen in Azerbaijan. This study aims to carry out research that examines the impact of Turkic identity on the commercial dimension of Turkey-Azerbaijan brotherhood that is described with the official rhetoric of One Nation, Two States. After providing an historical account of the bilateral relations since 1991, the study analyzes them through the perspectives of realism, liberalism, and constructivism under the methodology of analytic eclecticism. To find out the impact of ideational factors on commercial links, interviews with Turkish diplomats and businessmen are conducted. At the end of the research, the study confirms the role of Turkic identity in initiating and facilitating the relations with the conclusion that they are mostly maintained by mutual interests in political dimension and compliance to liberal market dynamics in the commercial realm.
Patterns of contemporary Russo-Syrian relations: A realist interpretation from the Moscow perspectıve
(Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2017., 2017.) Sakaoğlu, Emre Tunç.; Karaömerlioğlu, M. Asım.
The primary aim of this thesis is to shed light on the past, present, and near future of Russian-Syrian relations from a broadly realist perspective, the particular variants of which had been labeled as “old-fashioned” and therefore swept aside without a second thought until recently for their perceived inability to offer a reliable account of contemporary international relations. While trying to reveal the persistent trends, practical necessities, mutual interests, and shared threats underlying the historical evolution of this key bilateral relationship from 1945 till date; the following chapters further explore major fluctuations in the larger international context and the complex interplay between the geopolitical variables of each successive phase under scrutiny. Within this framework, particular attention is paid to the lasting – and apparently, still highly determinative – influence of certain considerations in shaping Russian strategies towards the Greater Middle East. The main reason for this is to bring a convincing answer to widespread questions as to the dynamics behind the transformation of the ongoing Syrian crisis into a geopolitical black hole with utterly destructive repercussions for all parties involved, particularly Syria itself and those countries that lie in its immediate neighborhood. Such an academic inquiry is deemed essential at this stage in time, for the Syrian imbroglio is yet to be resolved. Whereas one needs to diagnose the disease accurately, in as rational a manner as possible, before searching for practical ways to cure it.
Policy convergence between the Russian Federation and the people's republic of China
(Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2019., 2019.) Çakmak, Çağdaş Utku.; Öztürkmen, Arzu,; Esenbel, Selçuk,
This thesis examines the bilateral relations between Russia and China based on the policy convergence theory. The aim of the thesis is to analyze Sino-Russian relations within the framework of policy convergence theory and to determine the areas in which policy convergence occurs. The introduction chapter explains the study, the literature used about the policy convergence theory and the framework of the study. The second chapter gives the literature about the policy convergence theory used in the thesis. The third chapter explains the historical background of Sino-Soviet Relations and how they end up from comrades to enemies after the Zhenbao Island Incident. Chapter four analyzes the political relations of Russia and China, in Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, in the United Nations Security Council, common stance against the radical Islam and American containment policy and military cooperation. The fifth chapter is covering economic relations between Russia and China, in BRICS, the Belt and Road Initiative, the Russian Far East and convergence on energy trade and policies.The sixt and the last chapter is the conclusion and overall evaluation of the policy convergence between Russia and China.
Practices of soft power: A comparison of South Korea and Turkey from the 1990s to 2017
(Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2018., 2018.) Muter, Irem Cihan.; Öztürkmen, Arzu,
Throughout the history, power has been conceived as the ability to get what you want through inducement or threats which is basically called hard power and states have been longly practicing hard power in order to get what they want from other nations. Distinctly from the conventional perception of power, many countries utilize soft power to gain what they want in the international arena in the 21st century. Foremost among them, Korea and Turkey the “brother nations” which have similar modern historical developments have been decidedly employing cultural diplomacy strategies and trying to gain a leverage in the international arena. In this thesis, soft power practices of the both countries were investigated and their global soft power rankings were compared based on Joseph Nye’s theory on three sources of soft power as cultural attractiveness, universal foreign policies and legitimate domestic politics.
Prospects for a multicultural Korean society: Minority politics with a focus on Afro-Koreans
(Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2018., 2018.) Mirkelam, Burcu.; Öztürkmen, Arzu,; Esenbel, Selçuk,
This thesis looks into the potential towards a multicultural South Korean society and possible improvement of minority politics with a focus on Afro-Asians in South Korea. The main research question is to what extend the Afro-Asian community can define a multicultural South Korea and challenge the nationalist discourse. It is aimed to look into the government policies to be able to understand the inclusion and exclusion mechanisms of the state towards the minorities and look into the limits of the multicultural policies towards this minority group. It will be maintained that although there has been an inclination to adopt multicultural policies for the integration of mixed-race individuals living in South Korea, its sphere of influence has been significantly limited and an effective policy-making is an important step for achieving multiculturalism. The implied policies do not necessarily change the public opinion and attitude towards multiculturalism. Although Koreans’ view on foreigners, multicultural family and mixed-race individuals seem to be positive, there is still discrimination against them, decreased in its intensity. Hence, it will be argued that there are complex layers to multiculturalism in South Korea when the state-led policies, public opinion and personal biographies of mixed-race Koreans looked into. In other words, there are different value systems attached to certain multi-ethnics in South Korea as celebrity and non-celebrity cases highlight. As the multicultural policies took initiative in the late 1990s, due to the influx of migrants, this thesis will look into the initiation of these policies until today in South Korea.
Representations of the modern girl in Japanese interwar literature
(Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2019., 2019.) Kaynar, Aslı İdil.; Baykara, Oğuz.; Babaoğlu, Lale.
This study explores the Japanese modern girl’s (moga) representations in Taishō and early Shōwa texts, and the role these representations played in women finding their voice in literature. The project acknowledges the modern girl figure as a character of fiction and a real-life figure. Examining the modern girl’s position within the Japanese feminist writing, the study supports the idea that whereas the media wanted to turn her into a passive figure or a stereotype by objectifying her, literary texts’ portrayals of this figure are of great variety. The modern girl differs from her contemporary, the New Woman in that, The New Woman appeared before moga in 1910s as a politically active feminist figure, whereas moga was defined as passive. Moga drew attention due to her Westernized looks and the way she took an active part in the public space. For these reasons, she became an inspiration for many authors. Through context based analysis of Tanizaki Jun’ichirō’s and Uno Chiyo’s selected literary works, and Kawabata Yasunari’s The Scarlet Gang of Asakusa (Asakusa kurenaidan) this study reveals the common patterns in the protagonists’ relationships with the modern girl analyzed within the theoretical framework of objectification. This thesis argues that moga in real life was a complex figure that cannot be simply categorized as a product of mass culture. The study ends with the suggestion that there is still much to explore about the modern girl, especially through examining her representations in literary texts.
Robotics and ageing well in Japan :|the challenges and prospects for a super-aged society
(Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2019., 2019.) Sargüney, Güneş.; Öztürkmen, Arzu,; Küçükyalçın, Erdal.
This thesis looks into the question of how the rapid ageing of the population in Japan is affecting the nation, and what are the main solutions the Japanese government has been developing, especially with the use of robotic technologies. In answering this question, the government reports on ageing and technology are taken into consideration. These reports are Annual report on the aging society: 2018 by the Cabinet Office, New Robot Strategy. Japan’ Robot Strategy - Vision, Strategy, Action Plan of 2015 and The 5th Science and Technology Basic Plan of 2016. Through an analysis of these reports and corresponding studies, it is seen that rather than solving the issues that are accelerating the population ageing in Japan, mainly decrease in fertility and challenging immigration policies, the Japanese government is planning to utilise new technologies, especially robotic technologies to mitigate the problem. The government's plans also include leading the newly emerging field of medical and nursing robots and creating a favourable environment within the global robotics market for Japanese robots and technology. Through these developments in technology, Japan intends to address the issues born out of population ageing while creating an opportunity for companies and institutions to obtain a large share of the global robotics market.
The changing role of Japanese NGOs :|a case study of a Japanese NGO in Turkey
(Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2019., 2019.) Gündüz, Melisa.; Öztürkmen, Arzu,; Küçükyalçın, Erdal.
The aim of this thesis is to present the late, yet steady development of Japanese humanitarian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the sector of global humanitarian aid by focusing on one international Japanese humanitarian aid NGO, the Association for Aid and Relief Japan, and its operation in the Syrian refugee response in Turkey. In this context, the study provides a general framework of the late development of the Japanese humanitarian aid through NGOs from the post-war period until the current day, highlighting the parallelism in their contemporary place both in overseas operations and government. Furthermore, the study will discuss the ongoing growth of their operations within the main matter in question and draw on the field operation of the AARJ within the scope of their steady and sturdy growth. Along with the desolate continuity of man-made crises, and the rise of unpredictable environmental crises, the visible growth of humanitarian aid through NGOs has gained a greater value and place within the global governance systems as one of the most practical and efficient response mechanisms. Therefore, by examining the real time field experience of the AARJ and its donor relations, this thesis offers the opportunity to thoroughly perceive the potential and possibilities in relation to the future of Japanese humanitarian aid NGOs.
The impact of American missionaries on women's education in the Ottoman Empire and Korea
(Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Social Sciences, 2023., 2023) Üçışık, Fatma Zülal.; Eroğlu, Zeyneb Hale.; Hong, Hyun Woong.
The American foreign missionary movement began in 1810 with the establishment of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM). This voluntary organization oversaw American missionary activity in foreign countries. American missionaries traveled to various countries such as India, Hawaii, Burma, Africa, China, Japan, the Middle East, and Korea. Protestant missionaries prioritized mass education, allowing people to study the Bible in their native languages, leading to the establishment of educational institutions in these regions. This thesis explores the significant role of American missionaries in women's education in the Ottoman Empire and Korea during the nineteent and early twentieth centuries. This research highlights the similarities and differences in their impact on the social, cultural, and political landscapes of the Ottoman Empire and Korea by offering a comparative analysis of their educational efforts. The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions supervised the missionary activity in foreign lands, and the American missionaries’ established educational institutions wherever they went. Their focus on mass education and teaching the Bible in native languages played a significant role in developing women's education in both regions. Due to the efforts of missionaries in promoting women's education, numerous women from diverse backgrounds were able to receive education. As a result, American missionary schools for women and their graduates played a vital role in the contemporary education system and made significant contributions to women's education. This study compares the impact of missionary activities on women's education in the Ottoman Empire and Korea. Through a comparative analysis, it aims to identify the similarities and differences in the influence of American missionary women's education on these two regions.

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