Beschreibung:
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.
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.
Chapter 1 Preface
Chapter 2 Introduction
Part 3 PART I. EUROPEAN IDENTITY AND SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISM
Chapter 4 Chapter 1. Construction of the Idea of 'Europe' Throughout History and the Attempts for Unification
Chapter 5 Chapter 2. Ambiguous Boundaries of Europe and the European Union
Chapter 6 Chapter 3. Construction of 'European Identity' and Its 'Other's
Chapter 7 Chapter 4. Social Constructivism and European Identity
Chapter 8 Chapter 5. Comparison between Social Constructivism and Essentialism in Terms of Analysing European Identity
Chapter 9 Chapter 6. Analysing Construction of European Identity on the Basis of Social Constructivism
Part 10 PART II. CONSTRUCTION OF EUROPEAN IDENTITY WITHIN THE EUROPEAN UNION
Chapter 11 Chapter 7. 'European Identity' and 'EU Identity'
Chapter 12 Chapter 8. Civic and Cultural European Identity
Chapter 13 Chapter 9.The Construction Process of European Identity within the European Union
Chapter 14 Chapter 10. The Role of the Political Elites in Construction of European Identity
Chapter 15 Chapter 11. The Role of the Institutions of the European Union in Construction of European Identity
Chapter 16 Chapter 12. The Gap between the Elites and the General Public
Part 17 PART III. TURKEY'S MEMBERSHIP TO THE EUROPEAN UNION AND EUROPEAN IDENTITY
Chapter 18 Chapter 13. The Interactions between Turks and Europe
Chapter 19 Chapter 14. The Role of European Identity in Turkey-EU Relations
Chapter 20 Chapter 15. The Comparison between the Membership of Turkey and the Central and Eastern European Countries
Chapter 21 Chapter 16. The Perceptions of the Elites of the European Union about Turkey's Membership in Terms of European Identity
Chapter 22 Chapter 17. Public Opinions in the Member States of the European Union about Turkey's Membership
Chapter 23 Chapter 18. Discussions on Turkey's Membership in Terms of Compatibility of Islam and European Identity
Chapter 24 Chapter 19. The Influence of the Interactions between Turkey and the European Union on the Construction of European Identity
Chapter 25 CONCLUSION
Chapter 26 BIBLIOGRAPHY