Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Tezin Türü: Doktora
Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Yeditepe Üniversitesi, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, Siyaset Bilimi ve Uluslararası İlişkiler, Türkiye
Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2025
Tezin Dili: İngilizce
Öğrenci: İSMAİL ALAGÖZ
Danışman: Meral Balcı
Açık Arşiv Koleksiyonu: AVESİS Açık Erişim Koleksiyonu
Özet:
The incorporation of Kurdish ethnic separatism, under foreign support and patronage, into the problems in the Middle East, which has been plunged into chaos by conflicts and traumatic events from the past to the present, has further deepened the chronic instability in this region. Resolving Kurdish ethnic separatism, which has become a significant problem in the region, through a realistic and correct approach is essential for the establishment and continuation of peace and tranquility in the Middle East. In this respect, the issue of Kurdish ethnic separatism is also of great importance for the security and political futures of four neighboring countries that host Kurds. This study examines the rise of the PYD/YPG organization, the Syrian branch of the regional terrorist network PKK/KCK, in the power vacuum created by the Syrian crisis that began in 2011, and the multidimensional effects of this situation on Türkiye’s national security. The thesis builds its theoretical framework on the theoretical foundations of the concept of security, specifically on the Copenhagen School’s Securitization Theory and Learning Model. PYD/YPG’s political, military, and sociodemographic gains, achieved by exploiting regional power vacuums, along with its attempts to alter the demographic structure under the guise of “autonomous administration” in northern Syria and create a terrorist corridor extending to the Mediterranean, have been perceived by Türkiye as a vital existential threat. The organization’s protection by global actors such as the US and Russia has led to a strategic shift that has forced Ankara to move from soft power elements to proactive military interventions in its security strategies. The study comprehensively evaluates the military reactions within the scope of the Euphrates Shield, Olive Branch, Peace Spring, and Spring Shield operations, discussing their contributions to Türkiye’s long-term policy framework of ensuring border security and contributing to regional stability. Ultimately, the thesis offers a comprehensive assessment of how Türkiye’s security approach to Syria-related threats has been shaped within the context of the international political conjuncture.
Keywords: Military Operations, National Security Threats, PYD/YPG Structure, Syrian Crisis, Turkish Foreign Policy