The False Promise of Europeanisation in Turkey’s National Identity Discourse

The article discusses how the attempted Europeanization process of Turkey’s national identity has subsequently and paradoxically contributed to the de-Europeanization discourses that have emerged after 2002. The author argues that the main reason for de-Europeanization was the domestic power struggle under the AKP government in the Turkish nation-state identity discourse, as adversaries and supporters of reconstruction sought to preserve the Kemalist nation-state identity. The author analyzes the role of media in the creation of identity construction and reconstruction. For the purpose of investigating Turkey’s Europeanization, the momentous period of Turkish and EU relations are viewed as the most important. The data collected are from ideological based newspapers: Cumhuriyet, Hurriyet and Zaman. The author concludes that the more Turkey has de-Europeanized, the more the AKP has empowered its position and openly articulated a mission for sustaining Turkish nationalism, which has caused its losing supporters from leftists and liberals.