| Review of: | Turkey and the European Union: Internal Dynamics and External Challenges edited by J.E. Joseph |
|---|---|
| Reviewed By: | Anne Sophie Krossa |
| Reviewed in: | Journal of Common Market Studies |
| Date accepted online: | 02/11/2007 |
| Published in print: | Volume 45, Issue 2, Pages 515-533 |
Book Reviews
The key concern of this edited collection is to analyse 'whether the Christian and Islamic worlds can accommodate each other' using the example of Turkish EU membership. While concentrating on recent developments, the historical background is also included.
Although the openly normative position of the editor in the introduction may be a source of concern for the reader, the book turns out to be much more differentiated. Chapter by chapter, a picture of the highly complex internal and external conditions under which Turkey is struggling to find adequate solutions, in multidimensionally problematic situations, develops. After an overview of the potential economic costs and benefits of Turkey's EU accession by Ugur, Kotsovilis gives an excellent survey of 'modern Turkey's troubled road to democratic consolidation and the pluralizing role of Erdogan's pro-Islam government' in which he offers stimulating analysis of the problematic relationship between religious and secularist forces. Loizides and Ersin distinguish criticisms as expressed in parliament from the generally rather stable declarations of European orientation, Weber gives an incisive analysis of EU influences on relations between state and civil society in Turkey, underlining that this process of socialization is 'both bottom-up and top-down'. Two contributions deal with the Kurds in Turkey and neighbouring states: Gunter provides much background information for the current conflict structures in the Middle East (partly in a very subjective manner, though), while Tocci highlights internal consequences. Two other chapters are dedicated to the continuously difficult Greek/Cyprus questions (by Kazamias and Bahcheli). The sceptical argument which Kibaroglu develops with regard to security implications counterbalances the rather optimistic tone throughout the volume. The last two texts extend the perspective by analysing the role of the US in the discussion of a Turkish EU membership. Taspinar opens an interesting frame regarding images of Europe, the US and 'the West', and Kayhan/Lindley draw some conclusions from the Iraq war.
This well-integrated book provides a differentiated analysis of a range of Turkish problems which mirror its moving between very different worlds and sheds some light on problematic aspects which have to be resolved in Turkey and in the EU.