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En analys av debatten i det brittiska underhuset rörande Turkiets EU-medlemskap
TurkeyEU enlargementDiscourse analysisSocial sciencesSamhällsvetenskaperHuman rightsMänskliga rättigheterPolitical and administrative sciencesStatsvetenskapFörvaltningskunskapSocial SciencesLaw and Political Science
The prospect of Turkish accession to the EU has sparked controversy in many of the member countries. It has highlighted the different ways in which European as well as Turkish identity is being defined in the debate, with some politicians seemingly trying to draw on old prejudices in order to make the case against membership. By utilising discourse analysis as advocated by Thomas Diez, this thesis seeks to explore the debates regarding the Turkish accession bid in the British House of Commons. Its purpose is to analyse how ?EU? and ?Turkey?, understood as contested concepts, gets described in different ways. It continues by relating these descriptions to existing theories concerning the enlargement process, discussing the possible implications of the various discourses. Some of these, it is argued, might lead to counterproductive results unless articulated cautiously.