ОТЗЫВ научного руководителя о выпускной квалификационной работе обучающегося 2 курса основной образовательной программы МАГИСТРАТУРЫ СПбГУ по направлению «Международные отношения» Кылыча Сечкина на тему: «ПРОБЛЕМА СТРАТЕГИЧЕСКОЙ ОРИЕНТАЦИИ В СОВРЕМЕННОЙ ВНЕШНЕЙ ПОЛИТИКЕ ТУРЦИИ»  REVIEW by research supervisor of the graduate qualification paper (master’s thesis) submitted by the second-year student of the “International Relations (in English)” master’s program at SPbSU Seckin Kilic and titled «THE PROBLEM OF STRATEGIC ORIENTATION IN TURKEY’S CONTEMPORARY FOREIGN POLICY»  1.	Оценка качества работы: №  п. п.	Критерии оценки  ( модель магистратуры: проверяемые компетенции)	Баллы оценки:  •	отлично (5) •	хорошо (4) •	удовлетворительно (3) •	неудовлетворительно (2)  	Комментарии к оценке  1.	Актуальность проблематики  (АОМ: ОКМ-13, 22; АМ: ОКМ-8,16, ПК-36; ПОМ: ПК-6)	excellent (5)	The problem of strategic orientation in Turkish foreign policy has come to the forefront of international political agenda over recent years. The crisis trends in strategic relationship between Turkey and the West have been growing on a number of fronts urging the AKP government to reconsider the validity of its traditional alliances and commitments. The relevance of Seckin Kilic’s thesis for contemporary international studies can hardly be overestimated. The chosen research problem constitutes immediate interest for Russia’s foreign policy as well, particularly for its European and Middle Eastern dimensions. 2.	Научная новизна (АОМ: ОКМ-13, 22; АМ: ОКМ-8,16, ПК-36; ПОМ: ПК-6)	excellent (5)	The major scholarly contribution of the presented paper rests with its unorthodox way of conceptualizing strategic choices in Turkish foreign policy formation. The geopolitics-driven strategic orientation problem is empirically tested across a number of perceived threats of internal and external environment that the Turkish state has to confront. Alliance formation aimed at counterbalancing threats is conceptualized as a strategic answer to these domestic and foreign challenges. Therefore, the author’s contribution to the field of Turkish studies (and international studies in general) at the conceptual level is significant. 3.	Корректность постановки цели, взаимосвязанность цели и задач  (АОМ: ОКМ- 9, 13, 32; АМ: ПК-10, 11; ПОМ: ОКМ-12)	excellent (5)	The central research question (objective) is adequately formulated and tightly connected to the general research problem raised in the Introduction. The research tasks are analytically and operationally correct, specifying the stated research objective. 4.	Степень разработанности источниковой базы и качество критики источников  (АОМ: ПК-17; АМ: ОКМ- 24; ПОМ: ОКМ-18, ПК-13)	excellent (5)	The thesis is based on extensive body of primary sources of both documental and narrative nature. The scope of primary sources studied by the author includes official international documents, legislative documents, executive documents and public statements among other types. The quality of critical analysis of primary sources is sufficiently high. 5.	Полнота и разнообразие списка использованной литературы (АОМ: ПК-17; АМ: ОКМ- 24; ПОМ: ОКМ-18, ПК-13)	excellent (5)	The academic and non-academic literature on various aspects related to the research problem that was examined by the author is varied and comprehensive. The literature review section in the Introduction covers all the major scholarly contributions to the field across a number of epochs, academic traditions, ideological frameworks and languages. An important advantage of the thesis rests with the fact that author’s research endeavor is theoretically and conceptually grounded in neorealist paradigm coupled with major voices in geopolitical thinking, balance of threats theory and alliance formation theory. This theoretical mix allows the author to apply a distinctively novel conceptual approach to the well-known empirical problem. 6.	Соответствие методов исследования поставленной цели и задачам  (АОМ: ОКМ-2; АМ: ОКМ- 10, ПК-26; ПОМ: ОКМ-11, 14) 	good (4)	The chosen research design and qualitative methodological approaches are generally appropriate in view of specific research tasks that were formulated in the Introduction. However, the application of the chosen methods has not entirely solid throughout the research process which is also reflected in the final text. 7.	Соответствие результатов ВКР поставленной цели и задачам (АОМ: ОКМ-1,7, ПК-33; АМ: ОКМ- 17, ПК-12, 37; ПОМ: ОКМ-14, ПК-14, 17)	excellent (5)	Both conceptual and empirical results are directly responsive to the main research question. The main finding is that contemporary security concerns unravel the perceived balance of threats vis-à-vis Turkish national interests and urge the foreign policy establishment to reconsider its traditional pro-Western orientation. The representation of main findings is adequately structured while the conclusion presents some avenues for further research on the topic. 8.	Качество оформления текста  (АОМ: ОКМ-1; АМ: ОКМ-8; ПОМ: ОКМ-7)	excellent (5)	Text formatting is within all the main requirements associated with guidelines for master’s theses and academic writing in general. 9.	Ответственность и основательность студента в период работы над ВКР (АОМ: ОКМ-23; АМ: ОКМ-19; ПОМ: ОКМ-13, 23, 27)	excellent (5)	Over the entire period of writing the thesis Seckin demonstrated genuine academic interest and curiosity over the topic. The workflow, including consultations with the research supervisor, has been well-paced, systematically regular and intellectually challenging. Some parts of the thesis were completely overhauled and re-written following conceptual doubts and reconsiderations which reflected Seckin’s search for the most appropriate framework. Genuine progress has been made in mastering major skills of scholarly research. Средняя оценка:	4,8 (excellent)  Some minor shortcomings of the text include stylistic disharmony which often reflects challenges confronted by non-native English speakers in academic writing.  2.	Заключение/рекомендации членам ГЭК: Overall, the presented thesis paper represents original, coherent and thorough research into a relevant problem of Turkish studies and international studies in general. It meets all the main requirements associated with graduate qualification papers at the master’ level and deserves to be evaluated with the highest ‘excellent’ grade, while its author deserves to be conferred on with the master’s degree in International Relations.  3.	Рекомендованная оценка: _excellent_    May 29th, 2017 candidate of political sciences, associate professor, Department of American Studies, SPbSU Denis S. Golubev к.п.н., доцент кафедры американских исследований СПбГУ Голубев Денис Сергеевич