M.A. Theses

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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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
The impact of Kawaii culture on gender and Japan’s national image
(Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2019., 2019.) Duman, Ebru.; Baykara, Oğuz.
The aim of this thesis is to examine Japan’s usage of kawaii culture as a soft power and to discuss whether it has been trying to change its worldwide image, while considering masculinity and femininity dimensions in culture. In this respect, historical progress and characteristics of Japan’s kawaii culture will be analyzed, and the global effects of kawaii will be explained with examples. As a country with a high masculinity index, Japan always had a negative image of a tough, militarist nation. Recently, kawaii culture has been drawing attention with its feminine qualities and has sparked an interest both in Japan and around the world. Japanese government has also been contributing to the spread of kawaii culture and has made many attempts for that purpose. In this study, Japan in terms of masculinity and femininity dimensions will be analyzed and arguments about them will be evaluated. Emphasizing the importance of soft power, the influence of gender roles in Japan and kawaii culture will be studied, and as a result the direction of Japan on the international platform will be discussed. In order to discover to what extent Japan has achieved to replace its negative image with a positive one and affected gender role perceptions around the world, examples of kawaii’s spread into other countries will be studied.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The making of luxury markets :|comparison of Chinese and Turkish patterns
(Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2019., 2019.) Ateş, Alp Anıl.; Karaömerlioğlu, M. Asım.
During the recent decades of globalization, consumption practice of the people in developing countries has drastically changed and ostentatious products have become popular. This study explores the luxury consumption behavior and patterns of different cultures through a comparative study of the Chinese and Turkish experiences of conspicuous consumption. In order to assess these patterns, the study adopts the conceptual framework of Thorstein Veblen's The Theory of the Leisure Class and Pierre Bourdieu's Distinction: A Social Critique of Judgement of Taste. The study argues that the recent Chinese and Turkish experiences of conspicuous consumption patterns of middle classes are in step in general with the modern industrial society’s phase of intensive consumption patterns which emerged previously in the United States and Europe that have been theorized extensively in the works of Veblen and Bourdieu. The study’s second argument, however, shows that the perception of attractiveness is different for each culture which impacts the kind of conspicuous consumption that has been experienced in China and Turkey. Furthermore, consumption habits in China and Turkey vary due to cultural influences that combine patterns of Western and traditional values, and the development level of the country. Thus, knowledge about the Chinese and Turkish experiences help contribute to our understanding of the global patterns of conspicuous consumption as a social phenomenon of economic transformation by bringing in examples from geographies outside of the urban experiences in the United States and Europe.
Turkey, China and the silk road of energy :|The Trans-Anatolian natural gas pipeline
(Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2019., 2019.) Akar, Zeynepcan.; Karaömerlioğlu, M. Asım.; Atlı, Altay,
This thesis analyzes the motives behind involvement of Turkey and China in the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP). Referred as the Silk Road of Energy, TANAP is a fundamental section of Southern Gas Corridor which is an international new route for diversifying energy sources of Europe. TANAP is a recently constructed pipeline crossing Turkey and will carry 16 bcm of natural gas of Azerbaijan delivered from Shah Deniz 2 field, 6 bcm of which will be consumed in Turkish national market and the rest will be transferred to Europe. As an international project, TANAP received loans from various institutions, while World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) are co-financing the project. As a newly established institution spear-headed by China in 2015, AIIB aims to support infrastructure development in Asia, while TANAP is a section of a new energy route benefiting Europe, which is not directly within the spectrum of AIIB. Even though not directly involved, China imposes a role in TANAP through AIIB. The involvement of China through the loan provided by AIIB implies China’s interest in this new energy route and is a subtle cooperation between Turkey and China on future energy relations. On the other hand, TANAP is a significant part of Turkey’s aim to become an energy hub and highlights Turkey’s strategic position between Asia and Europe while complimenting Turkey’s energy security. The motives of Turkey are both strategic and energy security based while China has only strategic motives in involving in TANAP.
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 role of the emperor in postwar Japan :|an analysis of emperor Showa’s addresses at parliament openings
(Thesis (M.A.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2019., 2019.) Silingar, Reyhan.; Baykara, Oğuz.
Japan has the oldest and yet still continuing monarchy in the world. Despite the change of the emperors along with Japanese history, the question remains the same: What precisely is the role of the emperor in a highly developed country with liberal democracy? This thesis will attempt to answer this continuously asked question with a discourse analysis of Emperor Showa’s addresses at the opening ceremony of the National Diet (Japanese parliament) between 1947 and 1988. By putting forward the context of the Showa emperor, one of the most controversial figures in modern times in terms of the role he is believed to have played in the decade of Japanese expansionism during WW II, this thesis will argue that the emperor is not a mere symbolic figurehead. This thesis will ultimately prove with its empirical findings that the emperor serves the collective memory of Japan possessing an integrative power and thus contributes to the stabilization of the country.
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.
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.
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.
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.

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