SÜREÇ İZLEME YÖNTEMİ İLE AVRUPA BÜTÜNLEŞMESİNİ ANLAMAK

Abstract

This article focuses on the process-tracing method, primarily used in case studies in social sciences. The method – in which the process between cause and effect is closely traced in detail – is used to understand the processes of change, especially in single case studies. For this purpose, the researcher follows a series of intermediate steps between the process' beginning (independent variable) and the end (the dependent variable). The researcher usually uses archival documents and primary sources to explain the process in detail. Conventional constructivists often use this method. Mainly applied in Europeanization studies, the process-tracing approach has also contributed to understanding the policy transfer from the European Union to the national level. The first part of this article will focus on the specifics of the method. In the second part of the article, the evolution of the European studies will be focused on, and the contribution of this method, especially in the field of Europeanization, will be emphasised.