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Comparative Analysis of Eu Foreign Policy in Syria with Normative Power Europe and Realist Power Europe a Thesis Submitted to T COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF EU FOREIGN POLICY IN SYRIA WITH NORMATIVE POWER EUROPE AND REALIST POWER EUROPE A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES OF MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY BY BANU NESİBE KONUR IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN EUOPEAN STUDIES JULY 2019 Approval of the Graduate School of Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Tülin Gençöz Director I certify that this thesis satisfies all the requirements as a thesis for the degree of Master of Science. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Özgehan Şenyuva Head of Department This is to certify that we have read this thesis and that in our opinion it is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Master of Science. Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Bağcı Supervisor Examining Committee Members Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sevilay Kahraman (METU, IR) Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Bağcı (METU, IR) Assist. Prof. Dr. Gülriz Şen (TOBB ETU, IR) PLAGIARISM ii I hereby declare that all information in this document has been obtained and presented in accordance with academic rules and ethical conduct. I also declare that, as required by these rules and conduct, I have fully cited and referenced all material and results that are not original to this work. Name, Last name : Banu Nesibe KONUR Signature : iii ABSTRACT COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF EU FOREIGN POLICY IN SYRIA WITH NORMATIVE POWER EUROPE AND REALIST POWER EUROPE Konur, Banu Nesibe M.S. Department of European Studies Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Bağcı July 2019, 126 pages One of the most important of debates over the role of the EU in post-Cold War period has been the Normative Power Europe which is built on the idea that the EU does not act as traditional actors in terms of foreign policy and has a norm-setter and promoter role in post-Cold War period. The Normative Power Europe concept has been highly embraced by the EU Representatives, as well. However, the anarchic structure of the system can limit the actions of actors and acts as an important determinant in decision-making. This thesis aims to analyze to what extent the EU acts a normative power and where the restrains of the structure of the international system begins in EU foreign policy through Syria crisis. Therefore, firstly a theoretical framework will be laid out in light of Normative Power Europe and Realist Power Europe. In the next chapter, EU foreign policy towards the Middle East, the EU-Syria relations prior to the crisis and EU reactions to the key development of the Syrian crisis in its chronological order will be covered. This will be followed by the analysis of the EU reactions to the key developments of the iv crisis through the lenses of Normative Power Europe and the Realist Power Europe. Finally, the findings will be use to make a deduction for the question of "what kind of identity does the EU have as an international actor in the world politics?". Keywords: EU Foreign Policy, Syria crisis, normative power, neo-realism. v ÖZ AB DIŞ POLİTİKASININ NORMATİF GÜÇ AVRUPA VE REALİST GÜÇ AVRUPA İLE SURİYEDE KARŞILAŞTIRMALI ANALİZİ Konur, Banu Nesibe Yüksek Lisans, Avrupa Çalışmaları Ana Bilim Dalı Tez Yöneticisi: Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Bağcı Temmuz 2019, 126 sayfa Avrupa Birliğinin Soğuk Savaş sonrası dönemde uluslararası rolü üzerine başlayan en önemi tartışmalardan birini Soğuk Savaş Sonrası dönemde Avrupa Birliğinin dış politikada geleneksel aktörler gibi hareket etmediği ve norm belirleyici ve teşvik edici rolü olduğu iddiası üzerine inşa edilen Normatif Güç Avrupa yaklaşımı oluşturmaktadır. Normatif Güç Avrupa kavramı, aynı zamanda Avrupa Birliği Temsilcileri tarafından da oldukça kabul görmüş ve benimsenmiştir. Ancak, uluslararası sistemin anarşik yapısı aktör davranışlarını önemli ölçüde kısıtlayıcı etkiye sahip olmakta ve karar vermede önemli bir belirleyici olarak yer alabilmektedir. Bu tez, Avrupa Birliği'nin hangi ölçüye kadar normatif bir güç olduğunun ve uluslararası sistemin yapısal kısıtlamalarının Avrupa Birliği dış politikasında nerede kendisini hissettirmeye başladığının Suriye krizi üzerinden bir analizini sunmayı amaçlamaktadır. Bu minvalde, ilk olarak Normatif Güç Avrupa ve Realist Güç Avrupa kavramları ışığında teorik bir çerçeve çizilecektir. Daha sonra, Avrupa Birliği'nin Orta vi Doğu'ya yönelik dış politikası, Suriye ile kriz öncesi ilişkileri ve Suriye krizinin kronolojik sıraya göre önemli gelişmelerine yönelik vermiş oduğu yanıtlar ele alınacaktır. Ardından, Avrupa Birliği'nin krizin önemli gelişmelerine vermiş olduğu söz konusu yanıtlar, Normatif Güç Avrupa ve Realist Güç Avrupa yaklaşımlarının bakış açılarından değerlendirilecektir. Son olarak, elde edilen bulgular, "Avrupa Birliği dünya politikasında nasıl bir kimliğe sahiptir?" sorusuna yanıt oluşturmak için kullanılacaktır. Anahtar Kelimeler: AB Dış Politikası, Suriye krizi, normatif güç, neo-realizm. vii To my ever-supporting husband, my family and my friends who made a difficult time easier for me and never let me give up. viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I count myself very lucky to be surrounded by people who have made my difficult times turn into a success. Firstly, I would like to extend my deepest appreciation and heartfelt gratitude to my Supervisor Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Bağcı for his insight and guidance throughout my thesis process. As one of the most respected academician in International Relations both in Turkey and abroad, I certainly owe him a great magnitude of thanks for broadening my academic interpretation and showing me different perspectives. He has not only contributed to improve my academic knowledge but also helped me exceed my expectations in thesis process and prepared me from many aspects. As a proud student of Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Bağcı, I will always remember and appreciate his great contributions and support to me with gratitude when I asked him to be his student. I would also like to extend my profound thanks and gratitude to members of my examining committee, dear Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sevilay Kahraman who will alays have a special place in my life and taught most of the EU to me throughout my undergraduate and graduate years and dear Assist. Prof. Dr. Gülriz Şen for their invaluable contributions, time to read as well as evaluate my thesis and their patience. I will always feel in debt and grateful to my friends Rekshan Lutfi Redzheb and Sadan Rahmanovic for making my years at METU so much fun and full of priceless memories. I also extend my profound thanks to my friend Burcu Özdemir Sarıgil. I would not know what to do without her guidance. I am thankful to my Head of Department Mr. Yusuf Irmak and colleagues at the Department of Relations with International Organizations at Ministry of Health for their sympathies, understandings and supports throughout my studies. I will never forget their sincere supports. I would like to extend my utmost thanks to my beloved husband Gencer Konur and my beautiful family members Hatice Demir, Ali Yaşar Demir, Tufan Demir, Şeyma ix Demir, Zeynep Demir, Mehmet Hanefi Bölükbaşı, Güler Konur, Tamer Konur, Özger Konur, Lily Konur for their constant belief in me, support and encouragement. Their love, trust and encouragement enlightened my darkest hours. x TABLE OF CONTENTS PLAGIARISM .................................................................................................................. ii ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................... iv ÖZ ...................................................................................................................................... v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................ ix TABLE OF CONTENTS.................................................................................................xi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................ xiii CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 1 2. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ................................................................................. 5 2.1. The Foreign Policy Development of The European Union .................................... 6 2.2. The Normative Power Europe (NPE) and the EU Foreign, Security And Defense Policy ............................................................................................................. 19 2.2.1. Change of Order in World Politics ................................................................ 19 2.2.2. Discussions over EU's conceptual role .......................................................... 22 2.2.3. Rationale Beyond the Normative Power Europe ........................................... 23 2.2.4. What Are the EU Norms? .............................................................................. 24 2.2.5. How Can the Normative Power of EU Be Identified?................................... 26 2.2.6. Similarities and Difference of Civilian Power and Normative Power........... 29 2.2.7. Is Normative Power Unique to the EU? ........................................................ 30 2.2.8. Examples of Use of Normative Power .......................................................... 32 2.2.9. Militarization and Normative Power ............................................................. 34 2.3. Realist Power Europe And The EU Foreign, Security And Defense Policy ........ 40 2.3.1. Neorealist Analysis of the EU Foreign and Security Policy .........................
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