Titolo completo
Reshaping EU Democracy Support and Democratic Practices. The EU in the Eastern and Southern Neighbourhoods
This edited volume offers a critical analysis of the complex and contested field of European Union democracy support and democratic practices in its Eastern and Southern neighbourhoods. Drawing on extensive empirical and discourse research developed within the SHAPEDEM-EU project, and focusing on six case studies (Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine, Lebanon, Palestine and Tunisia), it examines how the EU’s democratic commitments are articulated, challenged and implemented in diverse neighbouring contexts. While democracy support is officially framed as a central pillar of EU foreign policy, this volume addresses the persistent gap between rhetoric and practical implementation.
By combining discourse analysis with an investigation of policy instruments, it highlights how democracy is both narrated and enacted by the EU, revealing contrasts between its stated normative aspirations and interests.
By integrating discursive and behavioural perspectives, the volume offers insights into how the EU can rethink and reshape its democracy support and practices in its Eastern and Southern neighbourhoods. It highlights the need to move beyond symbolic commitments toward more inclusive, context-sensitive and socially empowering practices. Ultimately, it invites critical reflection on how the EU should strengthen its credibility and effectiveness as a supporter of democracy in an increasingly complex and contested regional landscape.
Contributors, p. 9-12
List of acronyms, p. 13-15
Introduction
1. The EU and its Democracy Support: Discursive and Behavioural Practices, Contestation, Democratic (Un)Learning, by Christian Achrainer, Akram Ezzamouri, Daniela Huber and Michelle Pace, p. 19-33
1.1 Scope and research questions
1.2 A taxonomy of multilevel contestation within the EU
1.3 EU external practices and democracy
Conclusion
References
Part I: Taxonomies of European Contestations
2. Who Is to Blame? European Contesting Narratives to EU’s Democracy Support in Lebanon, by Giulia Daga, p. 37-56
2.1 Mapping the actors: Who speaks in Europe about Lebanon’s democracy?
2.2 Mapping the contestation
Conclusion
References
3. European Contestations of EU Democracy Support in Palestine, by Christian Achrainer and Michelle Pace, p. 57-79
3.1 Background: Context and pre-7 October narratives
3.2 Actors mapping and general contours of post-7 October narratives
3.3 Selected elements of EU narratives and contestation post-7 October
Conclusion
References
4. European Contestations of EU Democracy Support in Tunisia, by Vladimir Blaiotta, p. 81-94
4.1 Framing the democratic backsliding in Tunisia
4.2 The incremental narrative
4.3 Tunisia backsliding with EU complicity?
Conclusion
References
5. European Contestations of EU Democracy Support in Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine, by Nona Mikhelidze, Andrea Gawrich, Fabian Schöppner, Anna Osypchuk and Anton Suslov, p. 95-135
5.1 Historical turning points in Georgia, Armenia and Ukraine
5.2 Mapping key actors and analysing discourse on democracy support across historical turning points
Conclusion
References
Part II: Democraticness of European Foreign Policy Practices
6. EU Foreign Policy Practices and Democracy Support in Lebanon, by Jamil Mouawad, Karim Makdisi and Sarah Sabra, p. 139-157
6.1 Migration and refugees
6.2 Security
6.3 Border management
6.4 Democracy and elections
6.5 Presidential elections
6.6 Trade
Conclusion
References
7. Democracy and Security in EU Foreign Policy Practices in Palestine, by Akram Ezzamouri, p. 159-174
7.1 Defining the concept of democraticness
7.2 Assessing democraticness of EU foreign policy practices in Palestine
7.3 Absence of (un)learning
Conclusion
References
8. EU Security Practices and Democracy Support in Tunisia, by Akram Ezzamouri, p. 175-192
8.1 Conceptual definition of democraticness
8.2 July 2021 and Tunisia’s critical juncture
8.3 From democratic security reform to security assistance
8.4 Assessing EU (un)learning in Tunisia
Conclusion
References
9. Between Security and Democracy Support: The EU’s Evolving Foreign Policy Engagement with Armenia, by Anastasiia Kudlenko, Alexandra Sabou and Aijan Sharshenova, with contribution from Antonella Aloia, p. 193-211
9.1 Assessing democratic nature of EU foreign policy practices
9.2 Historic turning points in the EU-Armenia relations 2013-2023 and potential moments of epiphany
9.3 EU lessons learnt?
Conclusion
References
10. EU Foreign Policy Practices and Democracy Support in Ukraine, by Anna Osypchuk and Anton Suslov, p. 213-227
10.1 Historic turning points in the EU-Ukraine relations since 2013 and potential moments of epiphany
10.2 Conclusion: EU lessons learnt?
References
11. EU Democracy Support and Civil Society in Georgia, by Nona Mikhelidze, p. 229-241
11.1 Analytical Framework and Research Questions
11.2 EU Civil Society Support in Georgia: An Overview
11.3 EaP Civil Society Forum: A Case of the Georgian National Platform
Conclusions
References
Conclusion
12. Fragmented Practices, Shared Lessons: EU Democracy Support in the Eastern and Southern Neighbourhoods, by Akram Ezzamouri, 245-258
12.1 Fragmented democratic practices in the EU’s neighbourhoods
12.2 Perceptions of EU democracy support in the neighbourhoods
12.3 Putting the democracy learning loop into practice
References
