Theoretical approaches to Turkey's accession to the European Union /

Official URL: http://risc01.sabanciuniv.edu/record=b1161886 (Table of Contents)

The start of accession talks between Turkey and the EU on 3 October 2005 has forced Europeans to reconsider the European integration project. Debates over whether Turkey could ever be European have sharply increased in number. Prior to this stage, political, legal and economic aspects of the European integration project were more at the fore front. It is at this point, cultural considerations appear to underestimate the potential benefits of Turkey’s membership to the EU. Theoretically, rational institutionalism and sociologic/constructivist institutionalism are found to be partially competing and partially complementary. In other words, Turkey’s accession to the EU will be determined by its material costs/benefits; however, the perceptions of these costs will largely be determined by the willingness of the European public to accept Turkey. Culture and identity, therefore, will play an equal important role in this process.