How would membership of the European Union affect Turkish national identity?

Abstract

This dissertation will examine the impact that EU membership will have on Turkish national identity, should the country join. It will do this by examining the concepts of identity and national identity and look at some of the theories of Europeanisation. It will then focus on the specific nature of Turkish national identity by looking at it in the context of its history as an Empire to the modern pluralist state of today. The last chapter will then link Turkey's ambitions to join the European Union to the theories of Europeanisation to see where and how EU membership affects Turkish national identity. Finally, the issue of how Turks themselves perceive the EU will be explored and then conclude with my observations.