Europeanization as Discursive Practice: Constructing Territoriality in Central Europe and the Western Balkans

Europeanization as Discursive Practice examines the effects of EU accession on political territoriality and state-building processes in the EU and Central and Eastern European countries and the Western Balkans from 1990-2013. It argues that the EU acted as a discursive force and challenged established structures of understanding territoriality, statehood, and power, proposing a new research model for the study of Europeanization.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 204 pages
Publication date: 21 January 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Europeanization as Discursive Practice is a groundbreaking book that adopts a poststructuralist reading of Europeanization to explore the profound effects of EU accession on political territoriality and state-building processes within the EU, Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs), and the Western Balkans, spanning from 1990 to 2013. By focusing on how domestic actors have framed Europe/EU norms in the debates on territorial reforms and the implications of this framing on policy reforms, the book delves into the intricate ways in which competing articulations of the EU and its norms construct state territoriality within the given political and policy debates.

The book makes a compelling argument that the European Union operates as a discursive force and a challenge to the established structures of understanding territoriality, statehood, and power. Through this lens, the author proposes a novel research model for studying Europeanization that goes beyond the traditional neo-institutionalist account of the EU's policy/norm transfer to member/non-member states. This approach offers a fresh perspective on the complex processes of European integration and sheds light on the ways in which power dynamics and discursive practices shape the territorial landscape of the EU and its member states.

With its comprehensive analysis and innovative approach, Europeanization as Discursive Practice will be of immense interest to students, scholars, and practitioners of European integration, EU foreign policy, enlargement policy, and regional policy and territoriality in post-socialist spaces. The book provides valuable insights into the complex interplay between the EU, national governments, and regional actors, and offers valuable tools for understanding the dynamics of state-building and territorial transformation in the European context.

In conclusion, Europeanization as Discursive Practice is a groundbreaking work that offers a fresh and insightful perspective on the effects of EU accession on political territoriality and state-building processes. By challenging traditional understandings of Europeanization and proposing a novel research model, the book contributes to our understanding of the complex dynamics of European integration and its implications for the future of the continent.

Weight: 380g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032476650