Europe as a Stronger Global Actor

Challenges and Strategic Responses

Simon Duke

• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
• Year: 2016
• ISBN:
  9781349949458
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: European Politics
• Index: Politics & International Relations

This book considers the principal challenges facing the European Union, which has been buffeted by a series of profound crises, both internal and external. These range from the future of Ukraine, the Union's reactions to China's 'One Belt, One Road' initiative, how to help stabilize countries to its south, and relations with the United States. The core argument is that the EU lacks a meta-narrative that could indicate priorities and linkages between the various continental, regional, national and thematic strategies. As a result, the EU often appears to be a confusing and even contradictory actor to many international partners. In response to these challenges the EU needs to develop a deeper sense of strategic awareness and confidence so that it may give a more convincing response to fundamental questions about the Union's role, purpose and identity in a changing world.

Table of contents

• Acknowledgements
• Contents
• List of Acronyms
• List of Figure
• List of Tables
• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: The EU’s Strategic Unconsciousness and Normative Hubris
• Chapter 3: Existential Doubts and Strategic Dilemmas
• Chapter 4: In Search of Strategy
• Chapter 5: The Return of Geopolitics and Relations to the East
• Chapter 6: Geopolitics in the Post–Arab Spring
• Chapter 7: Transatlantic Relations and Europe’s Missing Asia Pivot
• Chapter 8: Europe’s Harder Edges: Security and Defence
• Chapter 9: Putting Effectiveness into Multilateralism
• Chapter 10: Strategy, Implementation and Means
• Chapter 11: Reconceptualizing the World and the Liberal Delusion
• Erratum to: Europe as a Stronger Global Actor
• Index