Turkey and the European Union: Creating Domestic Norms through International Socialization

<p>The Republic of Turkey is the most controversial candidate state for European Union membership to date. Not only does Turkey face obstacles with the technical aspects of the enlargement process such as changes in domestic policies, the legal system, and economy, but the proposed accession of Turkey to the European Union exposes a divergence in norms, values and state identity. The process of international socialization is one explanation for the domestic changes occurring in Turkey as part of European Union membership negotiations. Through the lens of the constructivist-rationalist debate in international relations, this study examines how changes in domestic norms are imposed on a target state by an international actor, eventually leading to changes in state behavior and identity. Secularism and the status of women in Turkey are utilized as examples that demonstrate both similarities and differences in the normative values of Turkey and the European Union. This study concludes with a discussion of the credibility of the European Union's offer of membership and its impact on the international socialization process occurring in Turkey.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts in Social Sciences (M.A.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis (open access)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of Sociology and Anthropology

Year dc:date.available

2009

Author dc:creator

• Wilson, Maureen E.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Krista Wiegand
• Richard Pacelle

• ETD
• Turkey
• European Union
• International socialization
• Constructivism
• Rationalism
• Norms
• Secularism
• Women in Islam
• Political Science

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/611

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu:etd-1611