scholarly journals “Soft Power” as a Political Instrument of the European Union (1990s – 2020s)

2020 ◽  
pp. 113-129
Author(s):  
Andriy Martynov ◽  
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Soft Power ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Institution ◽  
Collective Bargaining Agreement ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Material Wealth ◽  
Physical Comfort ◽  
The Eu

"Soft power" is the ability to change someone else's values, ideas, interests. Successful use of soft power leads to a change in attitudes and behavior. "Soft power" can be seen as managing the mass consciousness by indirect means that do not encounter conscious resistance. "Soft power" resources belong to civil society networks. Following the British referendum on June 23, 2016, the EU's global power of influence diminished. Traditionally, the European Union is seen as a stable center of material wealth, high social status, social optimism and justice, spiritual and physical comfort. However, as a rule, they forget about the fact that there is no permanent dependence between subjective well-being and changes in economic conditions of life. Until now, European optimists are pushing European integration as the only effective answer to the challenges of globalization, while European pessimists have said that federal Europe would be too centralized, inflexible and wasteful. The European Union is not so much a generator of European peace, as its result. The EU has emerged as a unique conglomerate of democratic states. This is not a federation or collective bargaining agreement, and it is not a classic nation-state, and most importantly not an empire with a metropolis at its center. It is an experimental form of peace-based integration as a norm. Instead, the empire is usually a centralized militarized state, the possession of which is a conglomerate of national territories of subjugated peoples. The EU is a social institution that implements collective action based on democratic approval and consent to their adoption. Despite governance weaknesses, the EU remains an important layer of capital regulation in the face of three global crises: the financial, environmental and security crises

The European Union as an object of insecure collective attachment: A response to ‘Brexit: Who is afraid of group attachment? Part I. Europe: What Europe?’ by Arturo Ezquerro

2021 ◽  
pp. 053331642110012
Author(s):  
Antigonos Sochos
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Attachment Theory ◽  
Well Being ◽  
European Population ◽  
Insecure Attachment ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Group Attachment ◽  
Asymmetrical Power ◽  
The Eu

In this commentary I argue that the European Union has been functioning as an insecure object of collective attachment for large parts of the European population for many years. According to attachment theory, in relationships of asymmetrical power insecure attachment is formed as the narrative constructed by the most powerful party overwrites the authentic experience of the weakest, generating conflicted representation of self and the attachment object. That attachment object may be interpersonal or collective. The EU narrative on how it safeguards democracy and citizen well-being contradicts the true experience of many Europeans who struggle to make ends meet in neoliberal Europe. On this basis, an insecure collective bond with the EU is established, as the latter fails to recognize and address the needs of many of its citizens.

scholarly journals The Jean Monnet Programme as a Tool to Reinforce the Role of the EU as a Regional and Global Actor

2015 ◽  
pp. 28-38
Author(s):  
M De Martino
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Soft Power ◽  
The European Union ◽  
The Eu

This article aims to analyse the Jean Monnet programme as a soft power instrument of the European Union to achieve its objectives in the international arena. This research, through a quantitative and comparative analysis, explores the tendencies of the Jean Monnet Programme in terms of number of Jean Monnet projects per year in the countries, which have benefitted the most from the programme. From this study, it has emerged that regions neighbouring the European Union have trends very different from other third countries that are also active participants in the Jean Monnet Programme.

8. EU Expansion and Wider Europe

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graham Avery
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Soft Power ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
European Neighbourhood Policy ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Member States ◽  
Balkan Countries ◽  
The Eu

This chapter focuses on the expansion of the European Union and the widening of Europe. Enlargement is often seen as the EU's most successful foreign policy. It has extended prosperity, stability, and good governance to neighbouring countries by means of its membership criteria. However, enlargement is much more than foreign policy: it is the process whereby the external becomes internal. It is about how non-member countries become members, and shape the development of the EU itself. The chapter first compares widening and deepening before discussing enlargement as soft power. It then explains how the EU has expanded and why countries want to join. It also looks at prospective member states: the Balkan countries, Turkey, Norway, Switzerland, and Iceland. Finally, it examines the European Neighbourhood Policy.

scholarly journals The cultural constituent of the European Soft Power in the Republic of Kazakhstan

2020 ◽  
Vol 132 (3) ◽  
pp. 103-113
Author(s):  
A.Zh. Seitkhamit ◽  
◽  
S.M. Nurdavletova
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Soft Power ◽  
Cultural Diplomacy ◽  
European Countries ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Eu

The European Union dynamically exercises various forms and methods of the Soft Power in its foreign policy. The article reviews its main principles and characteristics as well as conceptual basics. As an example, the article considers the European cultural diplomacy in the Republic of Kazakhstan as a method of soft power. The authors pay an attention specific actions of the European cultural diplomacy in Kazakhstan as well as the mechanisms of its implementation. Apart from that, cultural soft power of two European countries – France and Germany – are considered as separate actions of the EU member states in the sphere of culture. Finally, it assesses importance of Kazakhstan for the EU and effectiveness of such policy in this country.

Regulation of Clinical Trials

2021 ◽  
pp. 195-212
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trial ◽  
European Union ◽  
Information System ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Approval Process ◽  
Clinical Trials Regulation ◽  
Clinical Trial Information ◽  
The Eu

This chapter discusses the publication of the European Clinical Trials Directive in 2001 and its incorporation into the law of Member States. It explores the intention of the Directive in harmonising the rules for conducting clinical trials within the EU to facilitate the internal market in medicinal products and to protect the rights, safety, and well-being of participants. It also covers the passing of the new Clinical Trials Regulation (CTR) by the EU in 2014, which was prompted by concern that the system for approving clinical trials was overly bureaucratic and that it was hampering multinational trials. The CTR could not come into force until the Clinical Trial Information System (CTIS), which is intended to provide a single coordinated approval process, became fully functional. This happened too late for the CTR to be automatically incorporated into UK law by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.

The EU Soft Power in the Global Equilibrium

2014 ◽  
pp. 36-46
Author(s):  
A. Baykov
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Foreign Policy ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Soft Power ◽  
Political Influence ◽  
The European Union ◽  
National Interests ◽  
Bilateral Relations ◽  
Power Strategies ◽  
The Eu

The paper analyzes the basic parameters of the soft power of the European Union in the context of the effectiveness of its foreign policy and comparison with the efforts of Russia's own resources capacity of non-violent political influence. To solve this purpose the author dissects the basic interpretation soft power, reviews the criteria to measure the effectiveness foreign policy, highlights the existing scholarly discussion regarding the applicability, relevance and accuracy of the concepts of hard and soft power in applied policy analysis. Particular attention is paid to the problem of trust in international relations in general and in the relations between Russia and the EU in particular. The presence of trust in international relations constitutes a prerequisite to solve any problems for foreign policy. Analyzing the practical expression of the basic values of Western European countries and Russia the article concludes that the efficiency of 'soft power' strategies exercised both by Russia and the EU vis-à-vis each other is rather low. The multi-faceted relations between Russia and the European Union with closely interwoven national interests of different countries do not make these relationships easier whereas a whole array of historical and psychological problems do not add trust. Therefore, it is reasonable to opt for formalized dialogue institutions. In conclusion, the author provides recommendations for medium-and long-term prospects of the bilateral relations.

scholarly journals The specificity and prospects of the current leadership of Germany in the European Union: settlement of the eurozone crisis, migration crisis and COVID-19 crisis s

2021 ◽  
pp. 26-39
Author(s):  
Daria Sevastianova ◽  
Leili Rustamova
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Soft Power ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Eurozone Crisis ◽  
Conceptual Approach ◽  
Leadership Potential ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
Migration Crisis ◽  
The Eu

This article analyzes the German leadership in settlement of the three crises faced by the European Union – the eurozone crisis (2009-2015), migration crisis (2015-2020), and COVID-19 crisis (2020-2021) – in order to determine the specificity of the leadership of Germany in the EU. The conceptual approach for the analysis includes the leadership criteria offered by the German researcher Joachim Schild, which allow drawing the line between the hegemonic and non-hegemonic leadership, as well as consider the factor of legitimacy and soft power. The author also discusses the role of factors that hold back the fulfillment of the leadership potential of Germany. The novelty this research consists in application of this approach for determining the specificity of German leadership on the example of settlement of crises and challenges faced by the European Union, including the ongoing crisis caused by COVID-19 pandemic. The use of case study method allows concluding that Germany, indued with, is capable to show its leadership potential only in the conditions of cooperation with France. The author believes that its successful leadership is impeded by the domestic political factors and politicization of the European agenda in the EU member-states. The relevance of drawn conclusions consists in their contribution to further analysis and forecast of the foreign policy actions of Germany aimed at settling the COVID-19 crisis and other challenges faced by the European Union at the current stage of development.

scholarly journals Heritage Engagement and Subjective Well-Being in the European Union

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (17) ◽  
pp. 9623
Author(s):  
Victoria Ateca-Amestoy ◽  
Anna Villarroya ◽  
Andreas J. Wiesand
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Probit Model ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Explanatory Variables ◽  
Use Values ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Relationship

In this paper, we explore the relationship between different ways of getting engaged with cultural heritage and life satisfaction. Using data from a representative sample of the population of the 28 members of the European Union in 2017 collected in the Eurobarometer 88.1 (2017), we explore the relationship between use and non-use values and individual subjective well-being measured as life satisfaction. We present the results derived from the estimation of an ordered probit model where life satisfaction is a function of living near to heritage resources to represent non-use values, different ways of heritage participation (tangible, intangible, digital, and volunteering), and the usual explanatory variables that have been found to be predictors of life satisfaction. Our results indicate that the chances of being more satisfied with ones’ life increase with volunteering activities, with visits to heritage institutions, and with digital engagement. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the multifaceted values of heritage.

scholarly journals Workforce Participation, Ageing, and Economic Welfare: New Empirical Evidence on Complex Patterns across the European Union

Complexity ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 2022 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Mirela S. Cristea ◽  
Marilen G. Pirtea ◽  
Marta C. Suciu ◽  
Gratiela G. Noja
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Labor Market ◽  
Older People ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Economic Welfare ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Eu Countries ◽  
Ageing Phenomenon ◽  
The Eu

The ageing population has become one of the major issues, with manifold consequences upon the economic welfare and elderly living standards satisfaction. This paper grasps an in-depth assessment framework of the ageing phenomenon in connection with the labor market, with significant implications upon economic welfare, across the European Union (EU–27). We configure our research on four distinctive groups of the EU–27 countries based on the Active Ageing Index mapping, during 1995–2018, by acknowledging the different intensities of ageing implications on economic well-being from one group of countries to another. The methodological endeavor is based on Structural Equation Modelling. Empirical results highlight that the ageing dimensions and labor market productivity notably shape the socioeconomic development of EU countries, visibly distinguished across the four panels. The economic development induced remarkable positive spillover effects on the welfare of older people, under the influence of the ageing credentials and dynamic shaping factors. Our research advances the literature underpinnings on this multifaceted topic by investigation made on specific groups of the EU countries and distinctive strategies proposed for each group of countries, as effective results for improving the well-being of older people. Constant policy rethinking and adequate strategies should be a top priority for each specific group of EU countries, to further sustain the ageing phenomenon, with positive implications mostly on elderly welfare.

Unia Europejska w świecie: soft power, hard power czy może smart power?

2018 ◽  
pp. 78-94
Author(s):  
Sławomir Niedźwiecki
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Foreign Policy ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Soft Power ◽  
Policy Research ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Smart Power ◽  
Hard Power ◽  
The Eu

The main purpose of the article is to ask whether the European Union is a smart power actor. Most of the previous research has treated the EU as a soft power. This work is an analysis of the tools which the European Union uses in its foreign policy. Research has been conducted in the context of types of powers, which have been formulated by Joseph Nye: hard power, soft power and smart power. It was necessary to survey what instruments does the European Union use to have impact on other participants of international relations. Nowadays, a range of these tools is relatively developed, taking into account that the EU is an international organisation. In the conclusion, it is stated that the contemporary European Union should be treated as a soft power, but simultaneously it is an actor which attempts to become a smart power, and has relevant predispositions to it.

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