Conservative and Religiously Oriented Businessmen Associations in Turkey as Norm Diffuser Actors: The Case of Musiad

Abstract: The European integration is an on-going and dynamic process that affects the actor  identities, preferences, and interests. In this sense, Turkey’s extended EU accession process has been one through which policy preferences have been redefined, and national as well as international actors have reshaped their own social, political, and economic circumstances in line with mutual relations. Through this process of reciprocal interaction, identities and interests have been reconsidered and transformed. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) representing the business world are among the actors that reflect such a transformation most evidently. These business associations differ to the extent that they are able to influence, or are themselves influenced, by government, the EU, and society. These associations have not only been developing their identities and interests in relation to a composite framework, including most importantly the state and societal factors, but also serving as norm diffusers, therefore raising the proposition that they are solely oriented towards business representation. In this paper,the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen Association (MUSIAD) as an NGO that represents the interests of the Turkish conservative and religiously-oriented businessmen is analysed under the framework of Turkey-EU relations.

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Authors: Derya Buyuktanir, Abdullah Gul