2013 Hellenic Prize for best dissertation in European studies
Congratulations to final year BA (Hons) European Studies and International Relations student Joe Turner, who has been awarded this year’s Hellenic Prize for the best dissertation in European studies.
Joe’s dissertation, An Enlargement too far? The Importance of Foreign, Security and Defence Policy in shaping the application of the Turkish Republic to the European Union, explores the foreign policy and security aspects to Turkey’s possible EU accession.
The Hellenic Prize has been instituted by the School of Languages and Area Studies to mark the Hellenic roots of European thought and concepts.
Joe’s dissertation abstract is below:
Since first applying for formal membership of the European Community in 1987, Turkey’s application has provided the Union with its most contentious enlargement to date. The launch of a positive agenda in 2012 aimed at regaining momentum in a rapidly stagnating accession process suggests that Turkey’s candidature is now entering its most critical stage. This dissertation specifically focuses upon the security aspects of this unique accession process, determining whether Turkey has successfully demonstrated a capability to align with the foreign policy requirements of accession. This research question was specifically selected as foreign, security and defence issues have the potential to both reinvigorate the accession process, or define its failure. The contribution of this dissertation to the literature on Turkey’s application to the EU is significant as this study provides a contemporary analysis of a rapidly developing subject, placing a greater emphasis on primary EU sources than in existing literature.
Through the creation of a Common Foreign and Security Policy the EU has begun to place a far greater emphasis on ensuring security within its borders and near neighbourhood. As a result, the EU accession criteria place an exaggerated importance on foreign policy, notably, the need for candidate states to resolve all outstanding disputes. The completion of varied empirical studies will demonstrate that despite operating within a new ‘European’ framework, Turkish foreign policy has failed to overcome many of its traditional challenges. Therefore, within this dissertation it is argued that Turkey’s unstable geo-political location, combined with historical disputes with Cyprus and to a lesser extent Armenia, continue to undermine Turkey’s ability to fulfil the foreign policy criteria for accession.
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Written by Christopher Huggins
Christopher Huggins is a PhD candidate at the Centre for European and International Studies Research. His research investigates the role of local government transnational networking in Europe. He also teaches on various politics units at the university and is editor of the European Studies Hub and Blog.
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