Contesting the EU from below? Migration governance and civil society struggles for rights in EU- Turkey relations

OpenAlex · English

Civil society and social movements have played a crucial role in the EU’s external relations, yet studies on EU contestation by civic actors remain varied. Drawing on framing theory, this article explores the construction and contestation of the EU in EU-Turkey relations to analyze civil society mobilization in migration governance. Using frame analysis and extensive fieldwork in a cross-time perspective, the study examines activism in Turkey, highlighting how Europeanisation processes initially created opportunities for civil society to act as norm entrepreneurs to promote migrant rights. However, since 2015, civil society’s role has weakened due to the contestation of the EU’s externalization policy, the shrinking space for rights-based organizations, and the declining legitimacy of the EU. The instrumentalisation of migration in the EU-Turkey deal has further complicated advocacy efforts. These findings contribute to understanding social movement mobilization in Turkey by examining evolving claims and frames during critical periods of EU-Turkey relations.