Analyze the main advantages and disadvantages of EU membership for Turkey.

Considering the advantages and disadvantages of EU, the negative sides of the union seem to be more uncompromising and enduring; however the positive sides can also be achieved if Turkey could stand on her own feet. Participants mentioned more about the disadvantages than advantages (37/27) and attributed more emphasis on that. In terms of disadvantages, the most prevailed representations are religious differences, economical dependency, and cultural hegemony. Participants declared that a possible membership acquisition would cause conflicts in terms of different religious convictions and added that it is anyway one of the causes of Turkeys rejection of membership to EU. On the other hand, due to the financial support that EU gives, participants agree on the idea that a possible membership would create an economical dependency to the Union and it would be Europe to exploit the sources of Turkey. Some participants also give utterance to the situation of Turkeys possible status of colony of EU. Other concerns about the disadvantages were emanated from the belief that Turkey would not gain a full membership position and would only acquire limited rights within the Union. Beside from the disadvantages; the interviewees considered some advantages in case of the completion of membership process. The most prevailed advantage was the advances in social justice and in income levels; however, additional expectations were expressed concerning the assurance of human rights and improvement of justice system. [1]