The European Union's influence in Central Asia : geopolitical challenges and responses
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
The European Union's influence in Central Asia : geopolitical challenges and responses
(Contemporary central Asia : societies, politics, and cultures / series editor Marlene Laruelle)
Lexington Books, c2018
Available at 1 libraries
  Aomori
  Iwate
  Miyagi
  Akita
  Yamagata
  Fukushima
  Ibaraki
  Tochigi
  Gunma
  Saitama
  Chiba
  Tokyo
  Kanagawa
  Niigata
  Toyama
  Ishikawa
  Fukui
  Yamanashi
  Nagano
  Gifu
  Shizuoka
  Aichi
  Mie
  Shiga
  Kyoto
  Osaka
  Hyogo
  Nara
  Wakayama
  Tottori
  Shimane
  Okayama
  Hiroshima
  Yamaguchi
  Tokushima
  Kagawa
  Ehime
  Kochi
  Fukuoka
  Saga
  Nagasaki
  Kumamoto
  Oita
  Miyazaki
  Kagoshima
  Okinawa
  Korea
  China
  Thailand
  United Kingdom
  Germany
  Switzerland
  France
  Belgium
  Netherlands
  Sweden
  Norway
  United States of America
Note
Includes bibliographical references and index
Description and Table of Contents
Description
Unknown yet highly strategic, Central Asia attracts the interest of major global powers due to its vast energy resources and crucial geographic position. Russia, China, and the European Union view this region as an indispensable springboard to enhance their political and economic influence on the Eurasian landmass. Thus, facing strong competition and working on low budget, the EU is attempting to establish itself as a relevant and influential actor in an environment in which its leadership role is far from certain. Unlike in other post-communist regions, the EU is not able to rely on the attractiveness of its political models, and risks being marginalized by other global powers. The crucial question then is: How does the EU exert influence in such a challenging geopolitical context? Which strategies does the EU apply to be an actor who counts? Through an analysis of the EU's discourse, instruments, and the reception of its policies in Central Asia, this study argues that the EU consciously takes the position of a second-tier actor who acts as a "consultant" and projects a picture of itself as an honest broker with no geopolitical agenda. The EU's influence is confined to niche domains in the security sphere that are nevertheless important for the regional security. The EU is not a great power in the region nor is it willing to become one. It does, however, have comparative advantages in being perceived as inoffensive and for occupying areas that are neglected by the other actors, such as governance and water security.
Table of Contents
Part I: The European Union as a Global Actor: Conceptual Framework
Chapter 1: Analyzing the EU as a Foreign Actor: The Three Levels of EU's Influence
Part II: The European Union in Central Asia
Chapter 2: The Context: Geostrategic Stakes in an Unstable Environment on European Doorsteps
Chapter 3: The Emergence of the EU's Policy toward Central Asia: The "Far Neighborhood" Approach
Chapter 4: Analyzing the EU's Strategy for Central Asia: Discourse, Instruments, and Reception
Chapter 5: The Broader Geopolitical Context of EU Policy in Central Asia: Competition for Influence and Influence Parallelism
Part III: Case Studies: The EU as a "Consultant" in Central Asia's Security Sphere
Chapter 6: Border Insecurity in Central Asia and the EU's Response
Chapter 7: Governance Crises in Central Asia and the EU's Response
Chapter 8: Water Conflict in Central Asia and the EU's Response
by "Nielsen BookData"