Assessing Turkey's possible role in the European Union's migration challenges: 2014-2019

Official URL: http://risc01.sabanciuniv.edu/record=b2313209_(Table of contents)

Over the years, the European Union has faced many problems, however, in recent years, an unprecedented flow of irregular immigrants has been on the agenda of the European Union. When the irregular immigrant crossings exceeded one million in 2015, the crisis has become a prioritized issue for the EU. Ever since that time, the Union tried to find many solutions to tackle the crisis. This thesis argues that the EU has dealt with its migratory pressures by outsourcing the solution to Turkey in which led to a cooperation between the EU and Turkey regarding the migration. This cooperation is shaped by Turkish policies and bargaining among member states. Therefore, this thesis will evaluate the EU level responses coming from the institutions, particularly focusing on the cooperation with Turkey emerged out of the migration crisis. By evaluating the EU level responses and the cooperation with Turkey, two grand theories are used which are neofunctionalism and liberal intergovernmentalism. While the institutional outcomes are examined by the neofunctionalist arguments, the bargaining among the member states is evaluated by the liberal intergovernmentalism. The thesis provides empirical evidence from statements, progress reports, commission reports, UNHCR, EU data and many others in order to observe how a new form of cooperation emerged between EU and Turkey with regards to migration