Türkiye'nin barış operasyonlarına yaklaşımının analizi

ABSTRACTTHE ANALYSIS OF TURKEY?S APPROACH TO PEACE OPERATIONSGüngör, UğurPh.D., Department of International RelationsSupervisor: Prof. Dr. Ali L. KaraosmanoğluFebruary 2007This dissertation aims at analyzing the motivations that lie at the roots ofTurkey?s involvement in peace operations, mostly organized under the leadership ofthe United Nations in the post-Cold War era. The main contention is thatparticipation in such operations has been an identity-constructing activity in the sensethat Turkey has tried to reinforce its eroding western identity in the 1990s throughthis particular way. This dissertation also discusses alternative motivations behindTurkey?s involvement in peace operations, such as security-related considerations ina neo-realist vein and domestic influence of ethnic and religion pressure groups, butargues that these accounts fail short of offering convincing explanations.Methodologically, the research for this dissertation will be thematic, nottheoretical. The purpose of this study is not to make value judgments concerningTurkey?s participation in peace operations, but instead to describe, understand, andexplain its role.Based on Turkey?s experiences in peace operations, this dissertation reachesthe following conclusions. First, Turkey?s western image has improved. Second,Turkey could transform its security identity and interests in line with the changingsecurity conceptualizations in the West. Third, the modernization process of Turkisharmed forces has become much easier following Turkey?s presence in suchoperations. Fourth, the prospects of Turkey?s membership in the EU have increasedfollowing Turkey?s cooperation with EU members in various peace operations indifferent regions of the world. Fifth, participation in peace operations has contributedto the improvement of Turkey?s relations with the United States which havegradually deteriorated in the post-Cold War era.Keywords: peacekeeping, peace force, motivation, security, identity, participation,military, United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, European Union