The Eu-German-Turkish Triangle: Narratives, Perceptions and Discourse of a Unique Relationship

To provide a solid assessment of EU-Turkey relations and their future prospects, this volume focuses on the triangular relationship between the block and Turkey on the one hand, coupled with bilateral relations between Germany and Turkey on the other. Informed by historical institutionalism, it builds on the assumption that the fundamental restructuring of EU-Turkey relations requires 'critical junctures' that entail a 'paradigm shift'. The book contributes to filling a research gap by deconstructing the political discourse on EU-Turkey relations in order to identify, analyse and assess the main perceptions and narratives of EU-Turkey relations, not only in Germany and Turkey, but also at EU level in Brussels. The analytical contributions it contains aim to answer the general questions of whether and at what point in time a paradigm shift can be identified; if so, what are the driving factors of such a shift and do narratives of EU-Turkey relations change over time or are old patterns simply reborn or revisited?