Sciences-Po

1. Sciences-Po • Methodology Workshop - Session 2

2. The exposé: preliminary remarks • What is the meaning of the question being asked? • To which theoretic field it refers? • What are the possible articulations of the problem? • What are we expected to do?

3. Putting dialectics to workThèse/Antithèse/Synthèse • To stress the pertinence of a proposition... • …while pointing to its limits… • …equals to relativizing it.

4. Ex: DoesTurkey have a place in Europe?

5. Thesis Turkey is a long-time partner of Europe… A- Historical ties have contributed to integrate Turkey to the European Continent. B- Europe has an strategic interest in a closer association with Turkey

6. Anti-Thesis • …however, its integration to the EU raises serious functional issues A-Turkey’s integration raises the question of the capacity of the EU to enlarge whithout limits B- Turkey’s entry to the EU threatens the goal of a deeper union

7. Thesis • Turkey is a long-time partner of Europe…

8. A - Structural Historical Variables • -Turkey’s history is closely related to the one of European countries and the EU: The influence of Ottoman Empire, the participation of Turkey in both World Wars, and the turn towards the West made by Attatürk. (historical section). • -Turkey became a major trade partner of the EU (texiles, transport) and contributes to the growth of the Eurozone thanks to its labor force in northern countries and Germany (2,2 million Gästarbeiter) (economic section)

9. B. Structural Prospective Variables • -It represents a model of a moderate islamic society: the EU seeks to encourage this model due to its possible impact on its multi-confessional societies and to promote this model for its neighbouring areas (Maghreb, MiddleEast). The situation after 11/9 reinforces this thesis. • - Turkey is Europe’s partner in the Defense area as well: both are strategic partners whithin NATO (international relations approach)

10. Anti-Thesis • …however, its integration to the EU raises serious functional issues

11. A - Functional considerations related to Europe and its capacity to expand • The issue of Turkey’s integration interveenes at a moment where the EU is tangled in both an institutional impasse and its decision-making reform (reference to EU institution-building). • After the EEC enlargement and the failure of a EU Constitution draft, prospects for other neighbouring countries seem rather bleak. (decision making deadlock)

12. B Specific political and social considerations related to Turkey’s entry to the EU • EU+Turkey = dissolution of the European Project? There is a danger that the unlimited expansion of the EU will affect its capacity to whithern reforms and increase the integration of its territory, not to mention its cultural identity • So far, the integration of turkish population hasn’t been a succesful one (i.e. gästarbeiter in Germany). What would be the demographic impact of the arrival of a 100 million turkish muslim citizens? And what about the impact in terms of political representation at the scale of communitary institutions?

13. Conclusion (Synthèse) • If there are strong ties between Turkey and Europe, a full integration into the EU will not take place prior to important reforms in terms of institutions, decision-making and governance. It is highly probable then that Turkey will only benefit of an association status in the medium term.

14. How did we get there?

15. Sort out the available data • First, you need to sort out the informations that are the more relevant for your subject • Next, you need to select those informations that may allow you to shed light on a larger number of aspects related to the major question (problématique).

16. How to sort out ideas? • Find ideas that allow you to summarize …other propositions you thought about …as to define central ideas… for your outline

17. How to organize the information…? • We’ve got the information already, however.... • …we must organize it according to the main ideas of the 1st and 2d part (thesis+antithesis) • We have to priorize and separate key information from secondary data

18. To confront… • We need to gather the ideas whithin the key ideas we chose: • Ex:The advantages of Turkey’s integration to the EU Here we deal with the historical, economic and IR sections.

19. In the first section, we will stress those aspects of Turkey and Europe that are structural variables (i.e. that are not subject to immediate change: • its important then to introduce a long- term context (historical section) • …as well as long term economic variables (economic section) and strategical (defense, project of the EU)

20. …and to confront again • In the second part that we will call functionnal riks, we deal with a shorter period of time, with immediate issues Here we fit other questions, more immediate such as the reform of the EU, the integration of CEE countries and the prospective questions

21. How to build an exposé

22. How to structure your work Independently of the question that will be asked of you: • Situate the question (des relations franco allemandes à partir de l’après-guerre par ex. ) • Situate the current events related to the question • Rank all available information according its importance • Locate the different “keynotes”

23. The Introduction • A good introduction finds the right context for a given problem • A good introduction is simple and clear: it annouces the plan beforehand and unveils the line of thought in a precise and summarized way. • Once again: a good introduction is a short introduction!

24. The Conclusion • A good conclusion: • Briefly recapitulates the different parts of your exposé • Creates an opening from the problem you developped (and solved) to neighbouring subjects • Or leads the assistance further in the reflection of subjects derived of the problématique.

25. In between… Some indispensable elements: • The transition • A transition sentence • Rethorical instruments at your service