EUROPEAN-TURKISH IDENTITY INTERACTION FROM THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVIST PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Identity formation efforts of the EU draw attention in Turkey’s membership process. This paper is based on a hypothesis that identity, culture, norms and values which construct the social structure affect European and Turkish identity interaction. In the paper, right and left views within the Turkish parliament and European parliament will be analyzed in the framework of social constructivism. Social constructivism which is provided as an alternative area of study in the social sciences to the European integration, is still evaluated as a debated approach in the internatioal relations literature. Wendt, Checkel, Smith, Katzenstein, Keohane and Krasner define social constructivism as an approach between rationalism represented with neo-realism, neo-liberalism and neo-liberal institutionalism- and reflectivism represented with post-modernism and poststructuralism. On the other hand, some other authors evaluate social constructivism within the critical theories. This paper is based on the first definition. The first assumption of the social constructivism asserts that material structures should be observed beyond the biological facts (Jupille, Caporaso, Checkel,2003). According to this asumption, material structures gain importance by interpreting within the social conditions and environment. By following this assumption, this paper will focus on different foreign policy strategies of Turkey and Europe as a result of different identity perceptions. The second assumption points to the nature of the actors and their relations with the institutional environment. In accordance with this assumption, opinions, values and discourses of the party groups in the Turkish parliament and European parliament will be taken into consideration. Social constructivism stresses on the social interaction of the states and non-state actors. In this respect analyzing the social interaction within the framework of Turkish-European identity will make a contribution to the literature

Keywords

• Social Constructivism, Identity, European Union, Turkey

Kaynakça

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