Academic Trends in European Union Studies in Turkey within the Framework of Turkey-EU Relations/Turkiye-AB Iliskileri Cercevesinde Turkiye'de Avrupa Birligi Calismalarindaki Akademik Egilimler.

• Author: Mercan, S. Sezgin

Introduction

There are discussions on how to establish an efficient and sustainable relationship between academics and policymakers. Although there is literature on the need to develop and maintain a consistent and uninterruptedly relationship between the parties, the institutional and cultural differences between the parties are defined as the main obstacles for them to come together. Despite the different views on the development of the relationship between the parties, the complex and multi-layered structure of the relationship based on knowledge and knowledge production should be considered. Which subjects are prioritized by the academy in the knowledge-production process and which topics are preferred to be a focus should initially be studied to understand this relationship, since in the knowledge-production process, the academy prefers to determine the knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE) between the parties and therefore the basis of the relationship that will provide efficiency in the policy production process.

While discussing the political processes in the context of the European Union (EU) membership of Turkey, the interactions between academics and policymakers in the relations between Turkey and the EU have the potential to provide solutions in the steps to be taken to overcome the efficiency problems. However, the choices of academics who study the EU in Turkey during knowledge production will be revealed by answering questions such as what subjects are preferred by academics working on the EU in Turkey to study in the knowledge production, which subjects they prioritize in the relations, what the effects of the ups and downs in Turkey-EU relations are on the academy, and how the academy positions itself in the field. (1) Since the status of EU studies continues to progress in relation to European integration and Turkey-EU relations, this article demonstrates that the ups and downs of the integration and the relations affect the tendency of academics to offer research and projects on the EU and Turkey-EU relations. (2) Academics and policymakers on EU studies will have the opportunity to have an idea about how the relations are and should be and to initiate a discussion on increasing efficiency in policy-making processes, especially with a discussion on the effect of Turkey-EU relations on the knowledge-production processes of academics working on the EU. In this context, this article tries to reveal the tendencies of the academy in Turkey for EU studies during knowledge production regarding the EU and Turkey-EU relations since 2005, when Turkey's membership negotiations started. From this point of view, the study's main problem is the effect of the relations between Turkey and the EU on the choices of academics working on the EU in Turkey during the knowledge production. With this problem, it is aimed to discover the choices of people in the field of EU studies in Turkey during knowledge production, as well as to understand how the academy positions itself in the field and to reveal the academic tendency of EU studies in Turkey.

There is some research that evaluate academics' positions and tendencies towards the EU and Turkey-EU relations from various perspectives. For example, in a recent study on perceptions of Turkey-EU relations, and the view of Turkish academics on Turkey-EU relations revealed that the perceptions of university lecturers who have the capacity to direct society towards Turkey-EU relations have also gained importance. (3) Although academics support Turkey's accession to the EU, the idea that the EU has lost confidence in this matter has come to the fore. In the context of harmonization with the EU, attention was drawn to the idea that Turkey's actions were not sufficient. (4) Shortly, the research shows that academics as a group that can have an impact on public opinion are still willing to join the EU despite the intimidation of negotiation and frustration regarding integration among the Turkish public. (5)

On the other hand, EU studies has the potential to transform itself. Even what would happen after the EU is evaluated in the related studies. There is a question about what post-EU studies would look like. Disintegrative dynamics, societal and political divisions about the role of the nation state in Europe, externalities of socioeconomic and security interdependence would be important points in post-EU studies. (6) So, EU studies in Turkey have faced disintegrative dynamics and societal and political divisions that necessitate strong consideration for the future of Turkey-EU relations.

In this article, three main hypotheses were desired to be tested. Firstly, EU studies in Turkey have been institutionalized over time, regardless of the historical and conjunctural interest in the field. Secondly, academic knowledge has emerged in the fields of EU and Europeanization by becoming independent from Turkey-EU relations. Finally, a multi-directional understanding that develops cooperation with the public, private sector, and civil society on different topics in EU studies has dominated the field. For this purpose, in-depth interviews were conducted with 11 academics who have the title of Doctor, Associate Professor, and Professor working in EU centers and institutes of universities, EU Centers of Excellence, and the Jean Monnet Chairs located in Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir.

In the first part of the article, the relationship between academics and policymakers in policy making process is presented. The second part includes the reformist and stagnant period in Turkey-EU relations to reveal the tendency in the knowledge production of the academy on EU studies with reference to the conditions under which these tendencies are shaped. The third part defines research subjects and methods based on in-depth interviews. The fourth and fifth parts argue about the issues agreed and disagreed by academics. These parts reflect that there is not only consensus among academics on Turkey-EU relations but also differences of opinion.

Academics versus Policymakers

The relationship between academics and policymakers in policymaking is at the center of efficiency discussions in policy-making processes. Opinions focus on the differences between the parties, emphasizing that academics and policymakers are communities that work with different rules. (7) Thus even though, at first sight, it seems that both academics and policymakers share an interest in world politics and their events, the approaches of the two sides are radically different. (8) The gap between academics and policymakers stems from the difference between their professional missions. Academics aim to advance general knowledge and wisdom on International Relations (IR). On the other hand, policymakers are more interested in knowledge that enhances their ability to influence and control the course of events. (9) While academics are more focused on collecting data and producing knowledge, (10) policymakers are focused on the burning daily issues of the public. (11) However, while policymakers desire scientific expertise, they do not find strict scientific methodologies and approaches useful. While they prefer mid-range theories to make sense of the world, especially in fields such as IR, they find short and clear explanations understandable. (12)

It is necessary to develop a continuous and uninterrupted relationship between the parties, either formally or informally, despite their differences. (13) The knowledge produced by the academy because of the choices made on research topics, theories, and methodology is the main factor that will determine the development of common ground and understanding between the parties, as knowledge is the key to the relationship between academics and the policymakers. In other words, one of the starting points in the decision-making process of the policymaker is the knowledge produced by the academics. However, how academics make their choices in the knowledge-production process should be considered, especially in research publications and engagement in societal and political discussions. In other words, the social, political, economic, and cultural processes affecting the knowledge-production process of academics should be emphasized separately. There is a need for a determination as to whether the policymaker has a request for knowledge production in the academy's knowledge-production process. Poor timing, poor communication, corporate culture, traditional academic performance expectations, lack of time and resources for research, political conjunctures and expectations are the main challenges between the parties in KTE. (14) Academics and policymakers may be partially overcome by understanding these challenges that affect the choices of academics in the knowledge production.

Within the context of academic research on the EU, there are two pillars of published social-scientific and legal research considering aspects of the EU and its member states. Beginning from the Single European Act, EU studies has gradually deepened and developed. Centers of excellence, Jean Monnet chairs, conferences, scholarly associations, and research projects have become some products of this development and created a body of EU knowledge. Beginning from the 1980s to the 2020s, assessment on the policy relevance of EU research and its impact on outcomes has become necessary. (15)

Whether scholarship on the EU finds response from the EU policymaking process can be noted with reference to three research strands. In the first strand, ideas impact policymakers in international settings based on material interests and structural factors. It is applied to international organizations and also the EU. The second strand includes the origins of ideas that impact policymaking. Actors like think tanks, lobbying groups, political party foundations, government research units, and academics may become decisive. Changing origins...