Europe’s Strategic Role in the New International Order
International Order Without European Leadership
A new international order can exist without European leadership. Hedley Bull’s concept of order is useful here because he argues that international order does not necessarily require a hegemon, a sovereign authority, shared values, or Western dominance. For Bull, order exists when regular patterns of activity sustain basic goals of international society:
- Life: Protection from violence.
- Truth: Ensuring promises are kept.
- Property: Ensuring possession
The Rise of Political Islam in the Middle East
The Roots of Political Islam
Islamism, also known as political Islam, is one of the most important political ideologies in the modern Middle East and parts of Africa. Islamism argues that Islam should not only be a religion, but also the foundation of politics, society, and law. The rise of Islamism is closely connected to colonialism, anti-imperialism, the failure of Arab nationalism, and the crisis of modernization in the Arab world.
Colonialism and the Search for Alternatives
One of the first causes
Read MoreInternational Relations Theories and Historical Strategy
Core Theories of International Relations
Realism
Realism is a theory that holds that power is the central element of the international system, based on the ability to influence others. It starts from the premise that the world is anarchic, meaning there is no higher authority regulating States. In this context, rulers and States seek to dominate both internally and externally due to human nature and the constant search for security.
- Balance of Power: Stability is maintained through equilibrium among
Geopolitical Dynamics: Conflicts, Autonomy, and Theory
1. Understanding Frozen Conflicts
A frozen conflict occurs when active fighting stops but no peace treaty resolves the political dispute, leaving the conflict unresolved and unstable. Post-Soviet frozen conflicts include Nagorno-Karabakh, Transnistria, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia.
Characteristics
These conflicts feature:
- Unresolved sovereignty
- Ongoing tension
- Implicit or external involvement
- Risks of renewed fighting
Separatists control territory de facto but lack wide recognition, and conflicts often have
Read MorePower and Identity in the Modern Middle East
Geopolitics and Cultural Identity in the Middle East
The Middle East is defined by the intersection of geopolitics and culture, illustrated through three key cases: the legacy of colonialism, the Kurdish situation, and Palestinian identity.
Historical Context and Colonial Legacy
The Sykes-Picot Agreement (1916) divided the Ottoman Empire between British and French powers, disregarding local populations. Although never fully implemented, it set the groundwork for the League of Nations mandate at San
Read MoreKey European Union Institutions and Integration Theories
1. The European Commission
Nature & Composition:
- Executive branch of the EU; promotes the European interest, not national interests.
- One Commissioner per member state, including the Commission President and several Vice-Presidents.
- Commissioners must act independently from their national governments.
- Organized into Directorates-General (DGs), similar to ministries.
Powers & Functions:
- Exclusive right of legislative initiative: almost all EU laws start with the Commission.
- “Guardian of the Treaties”: