Download full text
(external source)
Citation Suggestion
Please use the following Persistent Identifier (PID) to cite this document:
https://hdl.handle.net/10419/60406
Exports for your reference manager
Islamic actors' support for democracy and European integration: a case for power-seeking?
[working paper]
Corporate Editor
Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung gGmbH
Abstract This paper investigates when and how Islamic political actors support democracy, and in particular, the EU's democratic criteria subsumed under membership conditionality. The research focuses on the main Islamic organizations in two Muslim-majority, EU applicant states, Turkey and Albania. The analy... view more
This paper investigates when and how Islamic political actors support democracy, and in particular, the EU's democratic criteria subsumed under membership conditionality. The research focuses on the main Islamic organizations in two Muslim-majority, EU applicant states, Turkey and Albania. The analysis suggests that Islamic actors endorsed democratic rules based on a rationalist logic, which combines interest-driven and ideational concerns. The weak Albanian actors have shown unconditional support for democracy and related EU-demanded reforms, which ultimately improved their fragile domestic power position. In contrast, Turkey's considerably stronger, Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party supported democracy and EU conditions more selectively, and so long as it needed the empowerment associated with democratic and EU rules. These findings highlight the strong relationship between Islamic actors' political power considerations and support for democracy. (author's abstract)... view less
Keywords
Islam; European integration; Turkey; Albania; political actor; EU; conditioning; democracy; joining the European Union; organizations; political behavior
Classification
Political Process, Elections, Political Sociology, Political Culture
Document language
English
Publication Year
2011
City
Berlin
Page/Pages
24 p.
Series
Discussion Papers / Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung, WZB Rule of Law Center, SP IV 2011-801
Handle
https://hdl.handle.net/10419/60406
Status
Published Version; reviewed
Licence
Deposit Licence - No Redistribution, No Modifications