Turkey and the Dilemma of EU Accession: When Religion Meets Politics

Abstract

Mirela Bogdani’s book examines Turkey’s EU accession dilemma, arguing that cultural and religious differences—particularly Turkey’s conservative shift under the AKP—are key reasons for the EU’s reluctance to grant full membership. The author challenges conventional analyses by emphasizing how Turkey’s Islamic identity clashes with the EU’s perceived secular, Christian-Western values. The reviewer acknowledges Bogdani’s timely exploration but critiques her conceptualization of the EU as a Christian/Western entity, suggesting this risks alienating non-Christian members and undermining the EU’s legitimacy. Instead, the critique aligns with Jürgen Habermas’ perspective, advocating for an inclusive political identity over cultural homogeneity. The book offers a provocative analysis but may oversimplify the EU’s identity, highlighting broader tensions between cultural homogeneity and inclusive governance in global politics.

(The abstract and keywords were prepared retrospectively for indexing purposes using AI-assisted tools and editorial review, based on the original article. They did not appear in the original publication.)