Çağla Kılıç
Arizona State University
“A Role Theoretic Approach to Grand Strategies: Explaining the Composition of Grand Strategy Over Time in China”
Date & Time: December 15, 12:30
A-130
Abstract: This research aims to examine the formation of grand strategy in China in a more rigorous manner by introducing a comprehensive and novel role theoretic framework. I propose that role theory offers a theoretical foundation for comprehending the structure of grand strategy through the lens of roles, enabling the measurement of changes in its composition over time. This innovative and unorthodox framework provides a comprehensive response to the persistent problems and challenges highlighted by scholars in the field of grand strategy, as well as the enduring issues present within the existing literature. The central argument posits that the absence of role contestation within the inner circle of government lends grand strategies their characteristic longevity, thus serving as a robust metric for assessing the formation of grand strategies in the most rigorous manner possible. Consequently, roles facilitate the differentiation of long-term policies from short-term policies by deciphering the horizontal role contestation process. This approach thus resolves outstanding theoretical and measurement issues within the field of grand strategy analysis. This research not only facilitates an understanding of transitions in grand strategies within different regime types but also enhances the accuracy of comprehending short-term policies by providing a broader perspective and viewpoint.
Bio: Cagla Kilic, with a BA in International Relations from Bilkent University, pursued simultaneous MA and MSc degrees in International Relations at Bilkent University and Middle East Technical University. Currently a Ph.D. candidate at Arizona State University, she holds a Fulbright Scholarship and Stephen Walker Fellowship. Proficient in multiple languages including Chinese, and French, her focus is on Foreign Policy Analysis and the nexus between Foreign Policy and Public Opinion. Her doctoral dissertation introduces a novel role theoretical framework in examining grand strategies of countries and she employs a multidisciplinary approach. Recognized for academic excellence, she received ASU’s dissertation scholarship. Cagla has interned at the European Parliament, Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and served as a managing research assistant for projects funded by TUBITAK and NSF. She taught various classes including Comparative Politics, and Advanced Statistics, contributed to book chapters, and published articles in the Journal of Global Security Studies.