The European Union and Everyday Statebuilding: The Case of Kosovo

This book explores the European Union's state-building practices in Kosovo by examining how the EU uses informal practices to influence local actors. It demonstrates how the EU utilizes everyday practices to influence decision-making processes and promote its interests, while also unmasking factors that facilitate its influence and its commitment to being an ethical actor. It provides a new way to look at the EU as a state-building actor and is of interest to students of state-building, EU policy, Balkan politics, and International Relations.

Format: Hardback
Length: 174 pages
Publication date: 11 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive study delves into the European Union's intricate state-building practices, utilizing the case of Kosovo as a prime example of how it employs informal strategies to influence local actors. The primary objective of the book is to elucidate how the EU functions as a state-building actor in the everyday context, venturing beyond its traditional sphere of influence. Through a detailed examination of the EU's interactions with local actors, the book highlights the organization's dynamic approach to dealing with these stakeholders, which is characterized by informal means or practices of engagement. These informal practices revolve around three critical issues that are central to the EU's state-building endeavors: the rule of law, public administration reform, and the resolution of bilateral disputes. By showcasing how the EU leverages these everyday practices, the book offers valuable insights into its strategies for influencing decision-making processes within governments, ultimately aiming to achieve specific outcomes, such as the diffusion of norms or the promotion of its own interests. Moreover, the book sheds light on the underlying motivations and objectives of the EU's state-building interventions, exposing practices that may undermine local agency, the practical intentions behind intervention approaches, and the realities that often lie behind public statements made by the EU and local governments. By providing a fresh perspective on the EU's role as a state-building actor, this book will be of immense interest to students, scholars, and policymakers engaged in the fields of state-building, EU policy, Balkan politics, and international relations.

Weight: 503g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032360621