The compatibility of social and cultural values in Turkey and the EU

Erdoan Shipoli (Fatih University, Istanbul, Turkey) [BIO]

Email: erdoan@gmail.com

 

ABSTRACT:

Turkey’s accession to the European Union has been widely discussed from political, economical, and social perspectives. The paper focuses on social structures and cultural perspectives of Turkish accession to the EU. It analyzes the extent to which Turkey is ready to enter the EU, and to which the EU is ready to accept Turkey by comparing Turkish and European cultural values. It specifically concentrates on the cultural changes that Turkey has undergone as part of the westernization process. It discusses both positive and negative effects of cultural diversity on both Turkey and the EU. The paper addresses the degree to which the EU has contributed to this transformation. It distinguishes between two aspects of culture, one that constitutes of cultural values, heritage and traditions, including religion, and another one that encompasses cultural modernization.