Fifty Years of EU-Turkey Relations - A Sisyphean Story

The publication of this book marks the fiftieth year of Turkey’s application to the European Economic Community for associate membership, and evaluates EU-Turkey relations in a historical perspective. Examining the evolving approaches of Turkey and of the EU towards each other, the volume focuses on the ‘delay’ in Turkey’s accession to the EU, and explores the characteristics and reasons of this delay in political, economic, security, ethical and sociological dimensions. By shedding light on the main actors and changing parameters in these relations, the book reveals achievements as well as failures of Turkey and the EU in their mutual relations. Fifty Years of EU-Turkey Relations will be an essential reading and a lasting reference volume for policy-makers and academics interested in EU-Turkey relations, European politics, European Union enlargement or international relations.

1. Introduction Armağan Emre Çakır 2. Political Dimension: Always in the List of "Also-Ran": Turkey’s Rivals in EU-Turkey Relations Armağan Emre Çakır 3. Economic Dimension: The Turkish Economy from the 1960s to EU Accession Tevfik F. Nas 4. Security Dimension: A Clash of Security Cultures? Differences between Turkey and the European Union Revisited Pinar Bilgin 5. Elite Opinion Dimension: Behind the Scenes of Turkey’s Protracted Accession Process: European Elite Debates Nathalie Tocci 6. Public Opinion Dimension: Turkey in the EU? An Empirical Analysis of European Public Opinion on Turkey’s "Protracted" Membership Ebru Ş. Canan-Sokullu and Çiğdem Kentmen 7. Identity Dimension: Postwesternisation: A Framework for Understanding Turkey-EU Relations Chris Rumford and Hasan Turunç 8. Ethical Dimension: Promises, Obligations, Impatience and Delay: Reflections on the Ethical Aspects of Turkey-EU Relations Thomas Diez 9. Conclusion Armağan Emre Çakır