The concept of the European Union’s normative power
DOI:
10.5922/2079-8555-2015-4-5
foreign policy of the European Union
European Union
EU
‘normative power’
Abstract
Traditionally, studies into a state’s foreign policy focus on the international situation and national interests of the parties. However, such approach does not completely conform to the objectives of studies into the foreign policy of the European Union – an example of unique integration of states. One of the modern approaches aimed to describe the nature of the EU as an actor in world politics is the concept of the EU’s ‘normative power’ arguing that the ‘power’ of the EU lies in the ability to change the international community’s idea of the ‘norm’. The concept of the EU’s ‘normative power’ is the focus of the article. The author describes the historical background of EU’s foreign (and to a degree, domestic) policy, assuming that the policy is a ‘product’ of its time. The article examines three approaches to understanding these concepts and analyses the correlation between the ‘normative’ and ‘soft power’ as well as related contradictions. In conclusion, the author identifies prospects of studies into the сoncept of ‘normative power’ of the European Union.
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26. Manners, I. 2009a, The EU’s normative power in changing world politics. In: Andre, G. (ed.). Normative power Europe in a changing world: A discussion, Clingendael, European Papers, no.5, Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael, The Hague, Netherlands.
27. Manners, I. 2009b, The Concept of Normative Power in World Politics, Danish Institute of International Studies Brief, Copenhagen, Danish Institute of International Studies.
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29. Meunier, S., Nicolaidis, K. 2005, The European Union as a trade power. In: Hill, C., Smith, M. (eds.), International relations and the European Union, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
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31. Moravscik, A. 2004, Europe is the New RoleModel for the World, Financial Times, 5 October, available at: http://www.princeton.edu/~amoravcs/library/rifkin.pdf (accessed 02.08.2015).
32. Nye, J. 1990, Bound to lead: The changing nature of American Power, New York, Basic Books.
33. Nye, J. S. 2011, The future of power, New York, Public Affairs.
34. Cerutti, F., Lucarelli, S. (eds.), 2008, The Search for a European Identity: Values, Policies and Legitimacy of the European Union, London and New York, Routledge.
35. Wang, Y. 2009, The Identity Dilemmas of EU Normative Power: Observations from Chinese Traditional Culture. In: Gerrits, A. (ed.) Normative Power Europe in Changing World: a Discussion, The Hague, Netherlands Institute of International Relations.
36. Whitman, R. 1998, From Civilian Power to Superpower? The International Identity of the European Union, London, Macmillan.
37. Wood, S. 2009, The European Union: A Normative or Normal Power? European Foreign Affairs Review, Vol. 14, no. 1, p. 113–128.
38. Wood, S. 2011, Pragmatic power EUrope? Cooperation and Conflict. Vol. 46, no. 2, p. 242–261.
39. Zimmermann, H. 2007, Realist Power Europe? The EU in the Negotiations about China’s and Russia’s WTO Accession, Journal of Common Market Studies, Vol. 45, no. 4, p. 813–832.
2. Pavlova, E., Romanova, T. 2014, Idejnoe sopernichestvo ili «tresh-diskurs»? [Ideological rivalry or “trash-discourse”?], Rossija v global'noj politike, no 3, p. 50–59.
3. Romanova, T. A. 2011, Evrosojuz kak normativnaja sila i problemy ee vosprijatija v Rossii kak bar'er na puti politiko-pravovogo sblizhenija [European Union as a normative power and problems of perception in Russia as an obstacle for political and legal convergence], Vestnik Sankt-Peterburgskogo universiteta, Ser. 6, no. 1, p. 52–66.
4. Yudin, N. V. 2013, Zhestkij vzgljad na «mjagkuju silu»: kriticheskij analiz monografii Dzh. Naja «Budushhee vlasti» [Hard look at ‘soft power’: critical reflections on ‘The Future Power’ by Joseph S. Nye], Moscow State University Bulletin. Series 25. International Relations and World Politics, no. 4, p. 134–163.
5. Yudin, N. V. 2015, Sistemnoe prochtenie fenomena mjagkoj sily [A systemic approach to “soft power”]. International Trends, Vol. 13, no. 2, p.96–105.
6. Mayer, H., Vogt, H. (eds.), 2006, A Responsible Europe? Ethical Foundations of EU External Affairs, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan.
7. Aggestam, L. 2008, Introduction: Ethical Power Europe? International Affairs, Vol. 84, no. 1, p. 1–11.
8. Bailes, A. J. K. 2008, The EU and a “Better World”, International Affairs, Vol. 84, no.1, p. 115–130.
9. Balfour, R. 2006, Principles of Democracy and Human Rights. In: Lucarelli, S., Manners, I. (eds.), Values and Principles in European Union Foreign Policy, London, p. 114–130.
10. Bickerton, C. J. 2011, Legitimacy Through Norms: The Political Limits to Europe’s Normative Power. In: Whitman, R. (ed.), Normative Power Europe: Empirical and Theoretical Perspectives. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, p. 25–44.
11. Bull, H. 1982, Civilian power Europe. A contradiction in terms? Journal of Common Market Studies, Vol. 21, no. 2, p. 149–170.
12. Cochran, M. 1999, Normative Theory in International Relations: A Pragmatic Approach. Cambridge.
13. Damro, C. 2011, Market power Europe, Paper prepared for EUSA Biennial Conference Boston, MA, USA, March 3–5, 2011.
14. Diez, T., Manners, I. 2007, Reflecting on Normative Power Europe. In: Berenskoetter, F., Williams, M. (eds.), Power in World Politics. London, Routledge, p. 173–88.
15. Diez, T., Pace, M. 2011, Normative Power Europe and Conflict Transformation. In: Whitman, R. (ed.), Normative Power Europe: Empirical and Theoretical Perspectives, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, p. 210–225.
16. Duchêne, F. 1972, Europe’s Role in World Peace. In: Mayne, R. (ed.), Europe Tomorrow: Sixteen Europeans Look Ahead, London, Fontana, p. 32–47.
17. Duchêne, F. 1973, The European community and the uncertainties of interdependence. In: Kohnstamm, M., Hager, W. (eds.), A nation writ large? Foreignpolicy problems before the European community, London, Macmillan, p. 1–21.
18. Laidi, Z. (ed.), 2008, EU Foreign Policy in a Globalized World: Normative Power and Social Preferences, London, Routledge.
19. European Foreign Affairs Review, 2007, Vol. 12, no. 3.
20. Hettne, B., Söderbaum, F. 2005, Civilian Power or Soft Imperialism? The EU as a Global Actor and the Role of Interregionalism, European Foreign Affairs Review, Vol. 10, no. 4, p. 535–552.
21. Lerch, M., Schwellnus, G. 2006, Normative by Nature? The Role of Coherence in Justifying the EU’s External Human Rights Policy, Journal of European Public Policy, Vol. 13, no. 2, p. 304–321.
22. Manners, I. 2002, Normative Power Europe: A Contradiction in Terms? Journal of Common Market Studies, Vol. 40, no. 2, p. 235–258.
23. Manners I. 2006a. The European Union as a normative power: A response to Thomas Dietz. Millennium: Journal of International Studies, vol. 35, is. 1, p. 167–180.
24. Manners I. 2006b. Normative Power Europe Reconsidered: Beyond the Crossroads. Journal of European Public Policy, vol. 13, is. 2, p. 182–199.
25. Manners, I. 2008, The Normative Ethics of the European Union, International Affairs, Vol. 84, no. 1, p. 45–60.
26. Manners, I. 2009a, The EU’s normative power in changing world politics. In: Andre, G. (ed.). Normative power Europe in a changing world: A discussion, Clingendael, European Papers, no.5, Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael, The Hague, Netherlands.
27. Manners, I. 2009b, The Concept of Normative Power in World Politics, Danish Institute of International Studies Brief, Copenhagen, Danish Institute of International Studies.
28. Manners, I. 2011. The European Union's Normative Power: Critical Perspectives and Perspectives on the Critical. In: Whitman, R. (ed.), Normative Power Europe: Empirical and Theoretical Perspectives, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, p. 226–247.
29. Meunier, S., Nicolaidis, K. 2005, The European Union as a trade power. In: Hill, C., Smith, M. (eds.), International relations and the European Union, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
30. Moravscik, A. 2002, The Quiet Superpower. Newsweek, 17 June, available at: http://www.princeton.edu/~amoravcs/commentary.html (accessed 02.08. 2015).
31. Moravscik, A. 2004, Europe is the New RoleModel for the World, Financial Times, 5 October, available at: http://www.princeton.edu/~amoravcs/library/rifkin.pdf (accessed 02.08.2015).
32. Nye, J. 1990, Bound to lead: The changing nature of American Power, New York, Basic Books.
33. Nye, J. S. 2011, The future of power, New York, Public Affairs.
34. Cerutti, F., Lucarelli, S. (eds.), 2008, The Search for a European Identity: Values, Policies and Legitimacy of the European Union, London and New York, Routledge.
35. Wang, Y. 2009, The Identity Dilemmas of EU Normative Power: Observations from Chinese Traditional Culture. In: Gerrits, A. (ed.) Normative Power Europe in Changing World: a Discussion, The Hague, Netherlands Institute of International Relations.
36. Whitman, R. 1998, From Civilian Power to Superpower? The International Identity of the European Union, London, Macmillan.
37. Wood, S. 2009, The European Union: A Normative or Normal Power? European Foreign Affairs Review, Vol. 14, no. 1, p. 113–128.
38. Wood, S. 2011, Pragmatic power EUrope? Cooperation and Conflict. Vol. 46, no. 2, p. 242–261.
39. Zimmermann, H. 2007, Realist Power Europe? The EU in the Negotiations about China’s and Russia’s WTO Accession, Journal of Common Market Studies, Vol. 45, no. 4, p. 813–832.