Turkey and the Issue of European Identity: An Analysis of the Media Representation of Turkey’s EU Bid within the Framework of Religion and Culture
Turkey and the Issue of European Identity: An Analysis of the Media Representation of Turkey’s EU Bid within the Framework of Religion and Culture

Summary/Abstract: This article seeks to explore how religion and culture were used as an indicator of European identity in the media representation of Turkey-EU relations in the British media. The study focuses on religious and cultural discussions in the news rather than on the overall tone of the coverage. The research sample comprises six different political events happening when discussions concerning Turkey-EU relations reached their peak during 1999 to 2006. The news about Turkey’s EU bid published in five British newspapers and one news portal will be examined. While the qualitative analysis on news items will show how religion and culture are used in excluding Turkey from the EU, the quantitative analysis will demonstrate how much Turkey is associated with different labels (e.g. Muslim, secular). The findings concerning these labels were backed up by in-depth interviews with journalists. By investigating journalists’ viewpoints, the study attempts to show why Turkey’s EU membership and the discussions concerning religion, culture and identity are framed in a particular way.

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