The Interaction between Theories of European Integration and the Literature on Turkey: Rethinking the Europeanization Research Program through the Case of Turkey
Abstract
This article argues that the evolution of the Europeanization research program and that of the literature on Turkey has come evolved incongruously. The article identifies the limits of this interaction, investigates the conceptual, theoretical and methodological origins of these limits, and concludes that such incongruence may be overcome by cross-utilization of the conceptual, theoretical, methodological, and research design tools offered by the Europeanization research program more effectively in studying Turkey. Doing so will allow studying the exclusive impact of the EU on the processes of transformation in Turkey by isolating its transformative role from the impact of other domestic dynamics and international factors.
Keywords
Europeanization Research Program, Turkey, Comparative Case Study, Intervening Variables, Mechanisms.
Citation
Bölükbaşı, Tolga H., Ertugal, Ebru and Özçürümez, Saime, “The Interaction between Theories of European Integration and the Literature on Turkey: Rethinking the Europeanization Research Program through the Case of Turkey”, International Relations, Volume 8, Issue 30 (Summer 2011), pp. 77-102.
Affiliations
- H. Tolga BÖLÜKBAŞI, Assoc. Prof. Dr., Bilkent University, Department of Political Science
- Ebru ERTUGAL, Assoc. Prof. Dr., Izmir University of Economics, Department of International Relations and European Union
- Saime ÖZÇÜRÜMEZ, Assoc. Prof. Dr., Bilkent University, Department of Political Science