Based on a communicative perspective this article works out the theoretical possibility of a twofold change in European security (in the referent object of security; and in the understanding and practice of the best means to achieve security). The approach suggested should be considered...

Social constructivism has come of age in contemporary international relations (IR) theory. Indeed, more and more submissions to presses and journals in both Europe and America characterize themselves as constructivist or situate their arguments vis-à-vis those of constructivists. In substantive...

The principal hypothesis in this paper is that a twofold change (in the referent object of security; and in the understanding and practice of the best means to achieve security) is taking place in European security and defence. In order to investigate the empirical relevance of this hypothesis,...

In 1997, Finland presented a major foreign policy initiative labelled the ‘Northern Dimension’ (ND) that was quickly included as a part of the EU’s external relations. Many analysts seem to argue that the EU’s foreign policy is a big power concert where intergovernmental bargaining...

Process tracing is in, acquiring near buzz-word status in certain circles. Europeanists do it; IR scholars do it – all with the goal of bringing theory closer to what really goes on in the world. This makes our scholarship more policy relevant and increases the reliability of our findings -...

Diplomacy as a framework of principles, rules and organized patterns of behavior regulating interstate relations in the Westphalian system of states is challenged by the process of European integration. This paper conceptualizes diplomacy and its change using two new institutionalist...

Why, how and when does an issue become a European interest and a European priority? Under what conditions does the EC/EU decide to launch a foreign policy initiative? When does a topic get on the EC/EU agenda of foreign affairs? In this paper the author raises the question of how, when and why...