Research Information System
Thesis Type: Doctorate
Institution Of The Thesis: Gazi University, Turkey
Approval Date: 2017
Thesis Language: Turkish
Student: Emrah Söylemez
Supervisor: ÇİĞDEM VAROL ÖZDEN
Abstract:In the last two decades, with the increasing effect of neo-liberal policies and cultural globalization all over the world, border regions have become scenes for the flow of more intense goods, information and people, and instead of being excluded spaces in the periphery, they have transformed into more centralized and important spaces of activity. Increasing interactions in the border regions and crossing beyond the borders of political geography have caused significant structural changes in border studies. Beyond the institutional definition of borders, this change has brought a wider range of issues such as the evaluation of borders considering cross-border policies and socio-spacial interactions on the agenda. The aims of this study are the formulation of a "multivariate border permeability index" created by measuring the level of cross-border social, economic and spatial interaction levels at the national borders using determined objective indicators; the definition of socio-spatial interaction patterns with the help of social network analysis in the border regions having moderate and high interaction levels, and by using this socio-spatial interaction, the development of an innovative governance framework to guide public policies. In this context, firstly, the permeability of the nation state border has been analyzed by using economic, social, administrative and spatial indicators and a multivariate border permeability index has been developed for Turkish land borders. As a result of the achieved border permeability index, a field survey was carried out to reveal the socio-spatial interaction in two border regions (EU and Georgia) that appeared as semi-permeable and permeable. Including both sides of the border, a field survey of questionnaires was carried out with 800 households living in border areas and in-depth interviews with 108 institutions and organizations having economic, social and administrative cross-border relations, and social network analyzes were conducted on the field survey data. In addition to the definition of border areas a spaces of action via network structures, cooperation and partnerships built among social, economic and political actors and the need for joint management of these areas have also contributed to shape the framework of regional governance specific to border regions. The outcome including the framework of a governance model for border regions reveals the need for socio-spatial interaction including supranational, national and local actors specific to the border regions.