scholarly journals Imagining the European Union: Gender and Digital Diplomacy in European External Relations

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 393-409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharine AM Wright ◽  
Roberta Guerrina
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Public Diplomacy ◽  
The European Union ◽  
External Relations ◽  
Depth Study ◽  
Using Data ◽  
A Site ◽  
Traditional Approaches ◽  
Digital Diplomacy

The European Union has historically sought to project outwards its identity, values and raison d’être during times of uncertainty and crisis. One of the core values stated to be at the heart of the European Union’s identity is gender equality. Yet, while gender equality features more visibly in the European Union’s external discourse as it seeks to position itself as a global leader in equality and human rights, the internal challenge posed by crisis presents a real obstacle to future developments in this area. This article examines digital diplomacy, specifically Twitter presence, as a discursive site for constituting meaning. We thus take the digital space afforded by Twitter as a site where the European Union’s internal and external identity is constructed in a process of articulation and contestation. Digital diplomacy is now a salient part of public diplomacy, increasingly prioritised over ‘traditional’ approaches. Using data gathered from Twitter on the European Union’s 60th anniversary and International Women’s Day in 2017, this article provides the first in-depth study of the European Union’s approach to digital diplomacy. We find the marginalisation of gender issues from the European Union’s core narratives bringing into question the place of gender equality as a core value of the European Union.

scholarly journals Understanding the European Union as a Global Gender Actor: The Holistic Intersectional and Inclusive Study of Gender+ in External Actions

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 410-425
Author(s):  
Petra Debusscher ◽  
Ian Manners
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Global Politics ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Gender Perspective ◽  
External Relations ◽  
Micro Analysis

This article assesses the study of gender equality policies in European Union external actions with a focus on the theoretical and empirical routes to understanding the field in times of crises. It argues that the emerging body of literature on gender in European Union external relations makes it possible to explain, understand, and judge the European Union in global politics by rethinking the nature of power from a gender perspective. The article then argues that to develop gender and European Union external relations in its next decade, it is necessary to rethink the study of the European Union as a global gender actor. This encompasses a reassessment of the ‘European Union’, ‘gender’, and the ‘global’, as well as the development of a holistic macro-, meso-, and micro-analysis. The article concludes by proposing a distinctive theoretical and methodological approach which involves a holistic intersectional and inclusive study of gender+ in European Union external actions.

EU diplomacy 2.0: The European Union’s exercise in soft power in the Philippines through Facebook

2020 ◽  
pp. 280-299
Author(s):  
Manuel Enverga
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
European Union ◽  
Soft Power ◽  
Public Diplomacy ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Policy Objectives ◽  
Social Networking Website ◽  
Digital Diplomacy

Digital diplomacy, also referred to as e-Diplomacy or Diplomacy 2.0, is a form of public diplomacy that entails the pursuance of foreign policy objectives using the Internet and social media. It is one of the ways that actors in contemporary global politics can exert soft power, thereby shaping a host country’s perceptions, agendas, and policies. The increasing use of digital diplomacy exemplifies a shift in diplomatic from purely government-to-government (G2G) relations, to one in which communication is directed towards publics (G2P), and can even encourage citizens to interact with one another (P2P). One actor that has become increasingly active in this area is the European Union (EU). However, unlike a country, the regional bloc is a coalition of twenty-eight member states. Consequently, the challenge for EU digital diplomacy specialists is to represent a group of countries to local audiences. There is minimal literature on this subject, and this paper hopes to contribute to it by presenting a case study of the EU’s digital diplomacy initiatives towards Philippines, which are communicated through the popular social networking website, Facebook. This paper argues that the EU exercises its soft power through its social media transmissions it creates. The individuals featured in its online content, the way that the European Union represents itself, and the issues it highlights in its posts are all geared towards shaping the perceptions of Philippine audiences.

Depoliticising Gender Equality in Turbulent Times: The Case of the European Gender Action Plan for External Relations

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 426-443
Author(s):  
Friederike Beier ◽  
Gülay Çağlar
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Comprehensive Understanding ◽  
Technical Data ◽  
External Relations ◽  
Turbulent Times ◽  
Policy Shift ◽  
The Eu

Since more than a decade, the EU is confronted with a number of crises that significantly changed the environment under which the EU operates in the field of gender equality. Evidence shows, that in many European countries, the different crises have led to a deprioritisation of gender equality policies. However, the way in which the new Gender Action Plan for External Relations 2015–2020 of the European Union addresses and operationalises gender equality suggests in contrast a policy shift towards an intensified commitment and more comprehensive understanding of gender. Against this background, this article analyses, first, how the content and the conceptual orientation of gender equality policies in European Union’s external relations have changed in the light of post-crisis recommendations. Second, the article scrutinises the ways in which the European Union tries to tackle the credibility crisis through increasingly intensified and operationalised policy procedures. The argument put forth is that the gender-related indicators in the Gender Action Plan translate complex societal processes into a technical data-based framework and thereby depoliticise gender equality by simulating a technocratic, evidence-based and quantified form of politics.

scholarly journals Slipping Off or Turning the Tide? Gender Equality in European Union’s External Relations in Times of Crisis

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 322-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanna L Muehlenhoff ◽  
Anna van der Vleuten ◽  
Natalie Welfens
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Financial Crisis ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
World Politics ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
External Relations ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Economic And Financial Crisis

The European Union has faced several crises in the past decades, including the economic and financial crisis, Brexit, a migration, climate change and security crisis, and the latest COVID-19 crisis. In this context, feminist scholars have shown how the causes and effects of the economic and financial crisis are strongly gendered. Generally, this literature suggests that crises can open a window of opportunity for gender considerations but may also promote policies which exacerbate gendered inequalities. Yet, the impact of crises on the attention to gender equality in European Union’s external relations is still unknown. This is surprising, as the European Union has promised to mainstream gender in all external policies, and understands itself to be a normative power and gender actor in world politics. This Special Issue analyses how the European Union’s identification of crisis and its policy responses to crisis in different external policy fields are gendered. The introduction situates the Special Issue within existing scholarship, theorises the central concepts of this Special Issue – crisis, gender (equality) and the European Union identities – and highlights how the different contributions advance our understanding of how gender figures in European Union’s external relations in past, current and future times of crisis.

Instrumenty polityki równości płci w kontekście sytuacji w Polsce

2016 ◽  
pp. 88-109
Author(s):  
Wiktoria Domagała
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Gender Inequality ◽  
Equal Opportunities ◽  
The European Union ◽  
The United Nations

The article undertakes the issue of gender equality policies in the context of its indicators. The main purpose of the paper is to identify the areas of gender inequality, its scale and determinants. Firstly, the article presents the legislation of gender equality policies – its main objectives. Next, the paper discusses indicators that were implemented by organisations such as the Organisation of the United Nations and the European Union. These selected indicators are presented, taking into account the situation in Poland. In conclusion, the paper highlights the main obstacles to the pursuit of equal opportunities for women and men in Poland.

scholarly journals Joint bodies in the European Union's international agreements: Delegating powers to the European Commission in EU external relations

2021 ◽  
pp. 146511652110273
Author(s):  
Markus Gastinger ◽  
Andreas Dür
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
European Commission ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
International Agreements ◽  
Principal Agent ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Original Dataset ◽  
Voting Rule ◽  
External Relations ◽  
Set Up

In many international agreements, the European Union sets up joint bodies such as ‘association councils’ or ‘joint committees’. These institutions bring together European Union and third-country officials for agreement implementation. To date, we know surprisingly little about how much discretion the European Commission enjoys in them. Drawing on a principal–agent framework, we hypothesise that the complexity of agreements, the voting rule, conflict within the Council, and agency losses can explain Commission discretion in these institutions. Drawing on an original dataset covering nearly 300 such joint bodies set up by the European Union since 1992, we find robust empirical support for all expectations except for the agency loss thesis. Our findings suggest that the European Commission is the primary actor in the implementation of many of the European Union's international agreements, allowing it to influence EU external relations beyond what is currently acknowledged in the literature.

Money Matters: Dissecting the Relationship Between Gender Equality and Female Homicide Victimization Rates in the European Union

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 435-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet P. Stamatel
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Curvilinear Relationship ◽  
Violent Victimization ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Homicide Victimization ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Gender Specific ◽  
Victimization Rates

This study utilized a fairly new measure of gender equality from the European Union to dissect the relationship between gender-specific homicide victimization rates and different forms of gender equality across a sample of European countries. Results showed support for a curvilinear relationship between financial equality and female and male homicide victimization, providing support for amelioration and backlash theories, but no support for absolute economic marginalization. While there were some similarities between the female and male models, there were enough differences to warrant further investigations of gendered theories of violent victimization.

The Oxford Encyclopedia of European Union Politics

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Integration Process ◽  
Court Of Justice ◽  
External Relations ◽  
Foreign Policies ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Energy Community ◽  
Vital Resource ◽  
The Eu

This encyclopedia offers the most comprehensive and up-to-date resource on the European integration process. Under the editorial directorship of Finn Laursen and associate editors Derek Beach, Roberto Domínguez, Sung-Hoon Park, Sophie Vanhoonacker, and Amy Verdun, the publication brings together peer-reviewed contributions by leading researchers on the European Union as a global actor. Topics include the basic treaties, institutions and policies of the European Union and the previous European Communities, the European Coal and Steel Community, the European Economic Community, and the European Atomic Energy Community. It also includes articles on the various conceptual frameworks and theories that have been developed by political scientists to guide research into the integration process and the policy- and decision-making processes with a focus on the roles of the different institutions, the European Council, the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the Court of Justice of the EU. Additionally, the publication includes articles on the member states as well as external relations and foreign policies of the EU. As a result, the Oxford Encyclopedia of European Union Politics is a vital resource for students, scholars, and policymakers.

The Global Digital Divide

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederico Cruz-Jesus ◽  
Tiago Oliveira ◽  
Fernando Bacao
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
English Language ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Digital Development ◽  
Global Digital Divide ◽  
Using Data ◽  
India And China

This article presents an analysis of the global digital divide, based on data collected from 45 countries, including the ones belonging to the European Union, OECD, Brazil, Russia, India, and China (BRIC). The analysis shows that one factor can explain a large part of the variation in the seven ICT variables used to measure the digital development of countries. This measure is then used with additional variables, which are hypothesised as drivers of the divide for a regression analysis using data from 2015, 2013, and 2011, which reveals economic and educational imbalances between countries, along with some aspects of geography, as drivers of the digital divide. Contrary to the authors' expectations, the English language is not a driver.

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