‘The Politics’ and ‘The Political’ of the Eastern Partnership Initiative: Reshaping the Agenda

The Special Issue consolidates new approaches to the study of the EU’s role in the eastern neighbourhood and beyond, informed by post-structuralist traditions in international relations. More specifically, by revisiting the European Neighbourhood Policy’s agenda from the conceptual perspective of ‘the political’ and redefining the notions of ‘othering’, ‘differentiation’ and ‘normalisation’, this volume renders a new and much-needed theoretical and empirical outlook onto the policy developments and their practices. By unpacking and connecting security, regional, institutional, normative and sector-thematic policy dimensions, the book seeks to re-politicise the agenda and re-focus policy revision on understanding the fundamentals of power relations when applied to the EU external relations. In light of the compounding crises, external and internal, one can no longer afford to simply tinker around the edges of the policy content and instruments. A more radical theoretical undertaking is overdue, to re-shape, re-define and re-centre the EU relations with the eastern region especially, put in the context of the new EU’s Global Security Strategy, and the new aspirations for the 2017 European Neighbourhood summit.

The chapters originally published as a special issue in East European Politics.

Elena Korosteleva is Professor of International Politics and Jean Monnet Chair of European Politics, at the School of Politics and International Relations, University of Kent, UK. She is Director of the Global European Centre, and LSE Dahrendorf Debating Europe Professorial Fellow.

Igor Merheim-Eyre is a Research Fellow, Global Europe Centre, University of Kent, UK.

Eske van Gils is Post-Doctoral Research Associate, GCRF RCUK COMPASS Project ‘Comprehensive Capacity-building in Eastern Europe and Central Asia’, and Research Fellow, Global Europe Centre, University of Kent, UK.