Turkey and the European Union

Selcen Öner

doi:10.5771/9780739148617

Summary

European identity has always been in a state of construction. With the creation of the European Union, however, this construction now takes place within an institutional framework, introducing a number of new variables. Selcen .ner's Turkey and the European Union: The Question of European Identity is an in-depth analysis of the influence of these two entities on each others' identity as Europeans in a society of increasing social, political, and cultural connectedness. The mutual influence between Turks and Europeans gained significant momentum in 1999, when the European Union granted official candidate status to Turkey at that year's Helsinki Summit. Turkey's Europeanness is still being debated, despite the official stance that fulfilling the Copenhagen criteria and adopting the EU acquis are enough for being a full member of the EU. These debates have even lead to arguments between political elites of the European Union about their 'privileged partnership' with Turkey. When comparing the attitudes of the European Union towards Turkey versus those towards Central and Eastern Europe, one could argue that that 'return to Europe' discourse has accelerated the membership of the latter, but not the former. Currently Turkey is neither considered an 'other,' nor a member of the 'family.' Rather, Turkey is commonly relegated to the role of 'crucial neighbor' or 'strategic partner' by the political elites of the EU. .ner's study analyzes a series of interviews conducted with several members of the European Parliament and sheds serious light on the fact that discussions on Turkey's membership in terms of her Europeanness reveal countless ambiguities in defining European identity. It is clear that there is no common understanding or definition of European identity, even amongst political leaders in the EU who challenge Turkey's authenticity as a member of European society. Thus, Selcen .ner's Turkey and the European Union: The Question of European Identity argues that the position of Turkey vis-^-vis the European Union will set a compelling benchmark for European identity construction in the future.

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Bibliographic data

Copyright year: 2011
ISBN-Print: 978-0-7391-4859-4
ISBN-Online: 978-0-7391-4861-7
Publisher: Lexington, Lanham
Language: English
Pages: 220
Product type: Book Titles

1. Contents No access
2. Preface No access
3. Introduction No access
1. Chapter 1: Construction of the Idea of “Europe” Throughout History and the Attempts for Unification No access
2. Chapter 2: Ambiguous Boundaries of Europe and the European Union No access
3. Chapter 3: Construction of “European Identity” and Its “Others” No access
4. Chapter 4: Social Constructivism and European Identity No access
5. Chapter 5: Comparison between Social Constructivism and Essentialism in Terms of Analysing European Identity No access
6. Chapter 6: Analysing the Construction of European Identity on the Basis of Social Constructivism No access
1. Chapter 7: “European Identity” and “EU Identity” No access
2. Chapter 8: Civic and Cultural European Identity No access
3. Chapter 9: The Construction Process of European Identity within the European Union No access
4. Chapter 10: The Role of the Political Elites in the Construction of European Identity No access
5. Chapter 11: The Role of the Institutions of the European Union in Construction of European Identity No access
6. Chapter 12: The Gap between the Elites and the General Public No access
1. Chapter 13: The Interactions between Turks and Europe No access
2. Chapter 14: The Role of European Identity in Turkey–EU Relations No access
3. Chapter 15: Comparison between the Relations of the EU with Central and Eastern European Countries and Turkey No access
4. Chapter 16: The Perceptions of the Elites of the European Union about Turkey’s Membership in Terms of European Identity No access
5. Chapter 17: Public Opinions in the Member States of the European Union about Turkey’s Membership No access
6. Chapter 18: Discussions on Turkey’s Membership in Terms of Compatibility of Islam and European Identity No access
7. Chapter 19: The Influence of the Interactions between Turkey and the European Union on the Construction of European Identity No access
Conclusion No access Pages 189 - 196
Bibliography No access Pages 197 - 214
Index No access Pages 215 - 220