Turkey and the European Union: Domestic Politics, Economic Integration and International Dynamics

Turkey's relations with an enlarging European Union have long been hit by recurrent crises and problems of adjustment within internal domestic politics as well as from an external, international relations perspective. This book provides an up-to-date review of relevant issues from both perspectives. Analyses focus on the significance of EU adjustment processes for Turkish domestic politics and public opinion. From the perspective of economic dynamics, analyses focus on the impact of a customs union with the EU and the issues surrounding the impending economic policy adjustments. Justice and home affairs issues and human rights practices are two areas where specific policy adjustments are needed in order to conform to the Copenhagen criteria. These adjustments are seen as touching on sensitive domestic politics issues and the analyses herein evaluate the recent developments in these policy areas. In light of these discussions, the book provides an overall evaluation of Turkey's bid for full membership in the EU.

About the Author: Ali Carkoglu is currently an associate professor at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences in Sabanci University, Istanbul. He regularly teaches courses on Turkish Politics, comparative political parties and interest groups, formal modelling, research methods and statistics. He received his Ph.D. from the State University of New York-Binghamton in 1993. Barry Rubin is Director of the Global Research in International Affairs Center and of its Institute for Turkish Studies. He is editor of Turkish Studies journal and of the Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA).

Contents

Introduction

Chronology: Turkey’s Relations with the EU

Domestic Politics, International Norms and Challenges to the State: Turkey-EU Relations in the post-Helsinki Era

Towards a European Security and Defense Policy: With or Without Turkey?

The Cyprus Obstacle on Turkey’s Road to Membership in the European Union

The Question of Asylum and Illegal Migration in European Union-Turkish Relations

Human Rights, the European Union and the Turkish Accession Process

The Intellectual Roots of Anti-European Sentiments in Turkish Politics: The Case of Radical Turkish Nationalism

Turkey’s Slow EU Candidacy: Insurmountable Hurdles to Membership or Simple Euro-skepticism?

Who Wants Full Membership? Characteristics of Turkish Public Support for EU Membership

Turkish Parliamentarians’ Perspectives on Turkey’s Relations with the European Union

Implementing the Economic Criteria of EU Membership: How Difficult is it for Turkey?

Conclusion

Abstracts
Notes on Contributors
Index