Narratives of a contested relationship: unravelling the debates in the EU and Turkey

Download

10.5281zenodo.2611309.pdf

Date

2019-2-25

Author

Hauge, Hanna-Lisa
Özbey, Ebru Ece
Eralp, Atila
Wessels, Wolfgang

Metadata

Show full item record

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Item Usage Stats

253
views

301
downloads

This paper outlines how narratives on European Union (EU)-Turkey relations changed over time since the 1960s and until the present. Applying a narrative approach, the paper aims to deconstruct a debate, which has been characterized by a plurality or even cacophony of stories by different actors. It presents the most influential narratives of EU institutions and Turkish political actors and traces their change over time as well as the dynamics between them. Based on a qualitative coding of a vast set of official documents from EU and Turkey (ca. 280 documents), it draws the following main conclusions: Different in nature: Turkish and European narratives vary considerably in their nature. Turkish narratives all share the same goal of full membership, while they have changing plots and different lines of argumentation. EU narratives differ both in their plot and in terms of the “finalité” of EU-Turkey relations. Progressively divergent: Since the 1960s, the number of narratives in Turkey and the EU has gradually increased and the debates have become more divergent. Growingly conflictual: While the study confirms that conflictual rhetoric is rather a recurring pattern and not new to the debates on EU-Turkey relations, the level of escalation on both sides in the last years has been considerably higher. Overall, the research draws the conclusion that currently there is a combination of conflictual elements as well as arguments emphasizing the importance to cooperate with each other. Hence, the study’s results are in line with the main conclusion drawn by the FEUTURE project, namely, that the most likely scenario for the future is “conflictual cooperation”

Subject Keywords

European Union, EU-Turkey Relations, Narratives, Plurality of stories, Dynamics of narratives, Different in nature, Progressively divergent, Growing conflictual, Conflictural elements, Conflictual cooperation

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/69062

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Project and Design

Suggestions

OpenMETU
Core

Identity representations in the narratives on the EU-Turkey relations Özbey, Ebru Ece; Hauge, Hanna-Lisa; Rumelili, Bahar; Eralp, Atila (2019-3-19) This study aims to situate contemporary debates on the EU-Turkey relations in a broader historical context. It argues that understanding from where current narratives come and identifying their constituents, and particularly the narrators’ mutual perceptions on each other, which have endured through decades or even centuries, contributes to a deeper understanding of the relationship in critical ways. The paper is based on the results of two historically oriented studies carried out within the framework of t...
Rethinking European integration process in the light of crises Özoflu, Melek Aylin; Kahraman, Sevilay; Department of European Studies (2017) This thesis analyses European Union’s integration processes in the light of EU’s cumulatively experienced crises within its sixty years old history. In this way, it presents the importance of the crises in the European political cooperation project. To this end, firstly it examines EU’s integration crises along with its dynamics, main motives and imposed challenges against EU’s harmony. Then it shifts its direction to the historical overview of the integration crises stemming from different reasons. Such an...
The Eastern enlargement of the European Union: a unique case for imperialism Doğan, Lütfi; Topal Yılmaz, Aylin; Department of Political Science and Public Administration (2018) This study analyses the Eastern enlargement of the European Union within the frame of imperialism. For this purpose, the study brings into question the characteristics of the European project, the reasons behind the Eastern enlargement, and the link between globalization, the European integration, and the EU enlargements. In this context, this study argues that the relationship between the EU and the Central and Eastern European countries presents a unique case for imperialism. In other words, the study arg...
Failed democratic experience in Kyrgyzstan : 1990-2000 Niazaliev, Ouran; Akçalı, Pınar; Department of Political Science and Public Administration (2004) This study seeks to analyze the process of transition and democratization in Kyrgyzstan from 1990 to 2000. The collapse of the Soviet Union opened new political perspectives for Kyrgyzstan and a chance to develop sovereign state based on democratic principles and values. Initially Kyrgyzstan attained some progress in building up a democratic state. However, in the second half of 1990s Kyrgyzstan shifted toward authoritarianism. Therefore, the full-scale transition to democracy has not been realized, and a w...
Discourses of Kemalism and Islamism on the political dimension of EU - Turkey Relations Çilingir, Sevgi; Dağı, İhsan Duran; Department of International Relations (2005) This thesis aims at defining and analyzing the positions of Kemalism and Islamism about the relationship between the European Union and Turkey, with respect to identity and political reform. The study is conducted by the usage of academic literature and examples of the writings of intellectuals from both positions; in order to analyze their discourses on the issue.With respect to the political dimension of EU - Turkey relations, the problems and EU demands on democracy, human rights, minority rights - with ...

Citation Formats

H.-L. Hauge, E. E. Özbey, A. Eralp, and W. Wessels, “Narratives of a contested relationship: unravelling the debates in the EU and Turkey,” 2019. Accessed: 00, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://hdl.handle.net/11511/69062.