Europeanization of Regional Development Policies of Turkey

The efforts of Turkey towards catching the material welfare of the West and transferring the western values into the society under the name of "westernization", "contemporization" or "modernization" have a 150-year old background. These efforts aim at a concrete objective in the form of being an EU member today. This study discussing the Europeanization of regional development policies addresses the EU membership process of Turkey with a more different point of view than a traditional one. It attempts to highlight that the process doesn't consist of performing the tasks set by the Union and expecting financial assistance in return. It suggests that regional instabilities within the country cannot be eliminated through only performing what the Union remarks, but rather, the solution can be found through mutual negotiations and sharing of tasks.