Lexington Books Turkey and the European Union: The Question of European Identity

European identity has always been in a state of construction. With the creation of the European Union, however, this construction now takes place within an institutional framework, introducing a number of new variables. Selcen Öner's Turkey and the European Union: The Question of European Identity is an in-depth analysis of the influence of these two entities on each others' identity as Europeans in a society of increasing social, political, and cultural connectedness. The mutual influence between Turks and Europeans gained significant momentum in 1999, when the European Union granted official candidate status to Turkey at that year's Helsinki Summit. Turkey's Europeanness is still being debated, despite the official stance that fulfilling the Copenhagen criteria and adopting the EU acquis are enough for being a full member of the EU. These debates have even lead to arguments between political elites of the European Union about their "privileged partnership" with Turkey. When comparing the attitudes of the European Union towards Turkey versus those towards Central and Eastern Europe, one could argue that that "return to Europe" discourse has accelerated the membership of the latter, but not the former. Currently Turkey is neither considered an "other," nor a member of the "family." Rather, Turkey is commonly relegated to the role of "crucial neighbor" or "strategic partner" by the political elites of the EU. Öner's study analyzes a series of interviews conducted with several members of the European Parliament and sheds serious light on the fact that discussions on Turkey's membership in terms of her Europeanness reveal countless ambiguities in defining European identity. It is clear that there is no common understanding or definition of European identity, even amongst political leaders in the EU who challenge Turkey's authenticity as a member of European society. Thus, Selcen Öner's Turkey and the European Union: The Question of European Identity argues that the position of Turkey vis-à-vi Review Öner provides a comprehensive overview of how the issue of European identity has been a key aspect in the process of Turkey's EU membership and how Turkey has been a key influencer of what it means to be European. While other factors, such as the economic troubles of the Eurozone or questions about the incorporation of a such a large population may eventually be the cause for Turkey joining or not joining the EU, the issue of identity will certainly be a part of the story. One of the key features of this process has been that the question of Turkey joining the EU has been the catalyst to expose what being "European" means. This is a concept that is under continual construction and Turkey is both a challenge and a contributor to that process.--E-International Relations A timely and balanced book that addresses vital questions about the future of Europe. As rightly grasped by the author, the question of Turkey's membership to the EU cannot be divorced from the idea of Europe and European identity. Selcen Öner's argument incorporates sections on different aspects of European identity and links this issue with the current debates on Turkey's membership to the EU. Both theoretical and field research on the issue provide the reader with a precious insight into how the future of Europe is being shaped on the basis of a process of identity construction.--Nas, Yildiz Technical University, Turkey Öner is ideally qualified to write this perceptive work on one of the major issues in European, indeed world, politics. She faces the difficult issues about Turkey's entry into the European Union and points towards how they can best be handled. She not only knows both the EU and Turkey well, she also gives solid content to the idea of a future-oriented European identity for which Turkish membership would be good for both sides.--David F. Ford, University of Cambridge Öner's book provides a valuable insight into the role of