Abstract
Using role theory, in this article we seek to bridge existing gaps in research on the European Neighbourhood Policy by asking how local actors perceive EU engagement in regional security. Based upon extensive qualitative research conducted in the South Caucasus, we scrutinise whether the EU's conception of its role as a security actor coincides with the expectations of South Caucasian actors and their perception of the EU's performance in conflict resolution. We show that the EU's prioritization of security coincides with high demand in the South Caucasus for greater EU involvement. Yet our analysis reveals a major mismatch between, on the one hand, the EU's own role conception of being a strong security provider and South Caucasus countries' perceptions of its weak performance in conflict settlement. This is because the EU's toolbox-focussing on capacity- A nd confidence-building measures-is not well attuned to both local needs and a broader regional context shaped by an increasingly confrontational Russia.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 41-60 |
| Number of pages | 20 |
| Journal | European Foreign Affairs Review |
| Volume | 23 |
| Publication status | Published - 2018 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The research was conducted as part of the EU-FP7 project CASCADE (grant 613354) by a team composed of Keti Emukhvary, Giulia Prelz Oltramonti, Kristina Sargsyan, and Mane Torosyan, in addition to the authors. The authors gratefully acknowledge the input from other team members. Such as the Caucasus Barometer and other surveys conducted by the Caucasus Resource Research Centre, among others. I. Manners, Normative Power Europe: A Contradiction in Terms?, 40(2) J. Comm. Mkt. Stud. 235–258 (2002).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Kluwer Law International BV, The Netherlands.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Political Science and International Relations
- Law