Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping is used as an effective tool to grasp complex systems. Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping, which is based on quantification of qualitative data, can be considered as a hybrid mix of quantitative and qualitative methods, and its roots can be traced back to graph theory. The basic purpose of this study is to discuss Fuzzy Cognitive Maps in methodological terms and develop suggestions for using maps drawn within two different frameworks. By this, Fuzzy Cognitive Maps applied in similar fields will be evaluated at one level. For this purpose, the thesis will utilize the data derived from maps drawn by NGO directors in Turkey. In the case study, cognitive maps are drawn around two concepts: the reputation of civil society in Turkey and its influence power. Due to their qualitative character, Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping is a research tool suitable for making comparative analysis. Divided into city and activity categories, the database of case study used in this thesis provided comparable data. Categorical differences are evaluated through drawing cognitive maps out of database.

This thesis analyses the hegemonic processes that are maintained by traditions, institutions and formations by discussing over the process of value construction the characters in Kazuo Ishiguro&rsquo / s two novels are engaged in. A Marxist approach is used along the way and the discussions over the novels were taken as an opportunity of underlining the necessity of a Marxist approach towards art in order to make use of its propaedeutic value and extract the hegemonic substance the artwork inheres. This thesis seeks to use the propaedeutic value of Ishiguro&rsquo / s novels to point out to the hegemony that is prevailing over our actual lives. It argues that the person always has to relate himself to a society, and hence that society and &lsquo / the hegemonic&rsquo / forces operant on that society come to shape his values and judgements at the end. In the end, what this study finds are the traces of the hegemonic processes that are hidden behind the individualized experience of Ishiguro&rsquo / s characters. Neither Stevens, nor Kathy can be underestimated to their individual choices. It is the hegemony, and the tradition and the institutions of that hegemony that construct their existence. Also, it is found out that it is again the hegemony that shapes the existence of Ishiguro&rsquo / s value judgements and his works&rsquo / value schemes that are studied here.

This study aims to find out the relationship among marital communication patterns, parental attitudes, internalizing and externalizing behavior problems of children. To elaborate, it is aimed to figure out whether marital communication patterns predict parental attitudes, and children internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Furthermore, it is purposed to investigate the relationship between parental attitudes and children adjustment. Finally, mediator role of parental attitudes between marital communication patterns and children adjustment was investigated. The participants of this study consist of 189 parents of preschool children. In order to measure the variables and characteristics of participants, Demographic Information Form, Communication Patterns Questionnaire (CPQ), Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ), and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) are used. The results of the study revealed that higher levels of destructive communication pattern is significantly associated with higher levels of authoritarian parenting attitudes whereas higher levels of constructive communication pattern is related to lower levels of permissive parenting style. Moreover, there is positive significant relationship was found between mother reported constructive communication pattern and authoritative style. Furthermore, it was shown that mother reported authoritarian and authoritative parenting attitudes are linked to emotional problems of children. Another finding of the current study revealed that constructive communication pattern is related to prosocial behavior of children. Besides inattention problems of children was found to be associated with aggressive communication pattern and mother reported permissive parenting style. However, no significant mediation effect was found. The significance, limitations, and clinical implications were discussed in the light of related literature.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the predictor role of type of infidelity, trait positive affect, and coping on forgiveness via marital satisfaction. In addition, present study aimed to examine gender differences in the proposed relationships among study variables. Demographic Information Form, Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), Transgression-Related Interpersonal Motivations Inventory (TRIM), Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) and Turkish Ways of Coping Inventory (TWCI) were administered to 122 married individuals. Results indicated that 1) marital satisfaction did not mediate the relationship between types of infidelity and forgiveness / 2) marital satisfaction mediated the relationship between trait positive affect and forgiveness / 3) marital satisfaction did not mediate the relationship between problem focused-coping and forgiveness while marital satisfaction mediated the relationship between emotionfocused coping and forgiveness / 4) gender differences in proposed relationships among study variables were rejected because men and women have similar parameters for the proposed model. After findings were evaluated, limitations were discussed with an emphasis on recommendations for future research, and implications for clinical psychology were mentioned.

This thesis studies Joseph Conrad&rsquo / s Almayer&rsquo / s Folly in terms of two theoretical concepts / othering and hybridity. The first theoretical concept, othering, is analysed from various perspectives for three main reasons: 1) The question of &ldquo / Who is other to whom?&rdquo / cannot be answered thoroughly because there is a continuous power struggle between the European and the non-European characters. 2) The theme of othering in the novel is based on a view of humanity and its conflicts that is radically ambivalent, and thus cannot be analyzed from one perspective only. 3) Conrad&rsquo / s world view which is reflected in the novel is not limited to one group of people, but tends to be universal. The second theoretical concept, hybridity, is analyzed under three subtitles: ambivalence, mimicry and hybridity.

This thesis analyzes the persecution of Baha&rsquo / is in Iran within its historical and contemporary background. The thesis will give examples from the other minority groups in Iran and through this, the grounds behind the persecution of Baha&rsquo / is in Iran will be more elaborated in the light of state-religion, state-minority relations and also it will analyze the &ldquo / persecution&rdquo / phenomena in identity formation of Baha&rsquo / is.

This thesis investigates the pricing of sovereign credit risk in the bond and credit default swap (CDS) market for Turkey. Using daily data, CDS premiums and Emerging Market Bond Index (EMBI) are examined over the period 1, January 2001- 20, June 2012. Firstly, the short-run and long-run determinants of CDS premiums are compared with those of EMBI, employing the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach. Then, the basis, the difference between CDS and EMBI spreads is analyzed seeking the factors which drive the two markets apart. Empirical results reveal that the CDS and bond market price credit events differently and hence, two spreads deviates in the short run. On the other hand, cointegration analysis shows that two prices move together in the long run, as theory predicts. Applying VECM analysis, the findings suggest that CDS spreads move ahead of the EMBI in the terms of price adjustment.

This thesis attempts to present a critical survey on studies on Anatolian capital focusing on their state and market conceptualizations. The studies have been grouped into three due to their theoretical frameworks as the studies employing New Regionalist, state tradition and state rescaling approaches. The thesis proposes New Regionalist and state tradition approaches to Anatolian capital are both ahistorical and aspatial approaches / these approaches develop in parallel with political developments and propose a glossed over portrait of Anatolian Tigers. Anatolian Tigers are generally presented as representatives of free market as they develop with little or no support of the state unlike the former generation of businessmen. Hence they stand for the legitimization of neo-liberal policies. The concepts of entrepreneurship, cooperation and competition are described as the nature and the merits of Anatolian small and medium scaled enterprises which make them compatible with the free market conditions. The last group of literature, state rescaling, is presented as the alternative to the first two with its historical and spatial analysis. The thesis will propose the relational analyses within the state rescaling framework is helpful to reveal uneven development which is veiled by ahistorical and aspatial approaches by including relations of state, capital and labour instead of defining the experience of Anatolian capital as a challenge to the state.

Using firm-level data of manufacturing sector during the period 1989-2010, this thesis explored the export behavior of firms in Turkey. Up to date, Turkey&rsquo / s export performance has been analyzed from macro perspective extensively. However, far too little attention has been paid to firm-level analysis contrary to ongoing and growing empirical literature. The preliminary analysis revealed the superiority of exporting firms. Both self-selection and learning-by-exporting are found to be valid explanation for the source of this observed export premium. Dynamic discrete choice model results provide supportive evidences for the existence of sunk-costs. Besides, it is observed that sunk-costs varied during the crises. Sunk-costs not only shape export decision but also affect timing decision. The exit and entry dynamics of the firms has been studied using duration analysis. Results showed self-selection of less profitable firms into export markets and importance of non-price competition for the survival of exporters. Impact of crises on export behavior has been examined by regarding extensive and intensive margins of exports separately. The findings implied that for 1994 crisis increase in extensive margins, for the case of 2001 crisis increase in intensive margin and for 2008 crisis decline both in extensive and intensive margins of exports dominated. This thesis makes several noteworthy contributions to the existing literature. First, it contributed to the ongoing and growing empirical literature using Turkish data. Secondly, unlike, existing studies that investigate single feature of the export behavior, in this thesis, using different approaches the issue has been analyzed extensively. Moreover, using advantage of the data set and Turkish economy, the impact of different types of crisis on export behavior has been analyzed and contributed to the literature that studies the impact of shocks on export behavior.

The money demand function has been regarded as a fundamental building block in macroeconomic modelling, as it represents the link between the monetary policy and rest of the economy. The extensive literature on money demand function is concerned with the existence of a stable money demand function, which ensures adequate prediction of impact of a given change in money supply on other economic variables such as, inflation, interest rates, national income, private investment and other policy variables. This thesis employs both linear and nonlinear estimation methods to investigate the relationship between money demand, GDP, inflation and interest rates for the Euro Area over the period 1980-2010. The aim of this thesis is to compare the European money demand in linear and nonlinear framework. First a vector autoregression (VAR) model has been estimated. Then a threshold cointegration model has been employed and nonlinearity properties of the money demand relationship has been investigated. In contrast to the existing empirical literature, linear VEC model can find evidence of stability, however it has some conflicting results which can be explained by the nonlinearity of the model. Empirical results of MTAR type threshold cointegration specification verifies the nonlinearity in European money demand. The adjustment coefficient of lower regime suggests faster adjustment towards long run equilibrium compared to upper regime in nonlinear model. Moreover, the nonlinear model presents better fit to economic literature than linear model for European money demand.