Turkey’s Inclusion in the Atlantic Community: Looking Back, Looking Forward

Abstract: Turkey's European credentials are an issue of great contemporary dispute. This essay looks back at Turkey's early efforts to join European and trans-Atlantic institutions. One goal is to examine the past record to uncover what it can contribute to current debates over Turkey's place in Europe. In this regard, one can compare attitudes towards Turkey in the past with those expressed today, as well as how the definition of the Atlantic and European communities has evolved over time. It also considers how ties with Western democracies have affected democratization within Turkey itself, which has had its ups and downs over the course of the past 50 years.

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