Facts

Contact person:
Calle Håkansson
Financer:
  • Department of Global Political Studies
Responsible at MaU:
Calle Håkansson
Time frame:
01 September 2019 - 01 September 2023
Faculty/department:
Research subject:

Project description

The overall aim of the doctoral dissertation project is to study whether, and if so how, the European Union (EU) has increased its influence and 'actorness' in defence and security policy in recent years. Since the EU Global Strategy (EUGS) was launched in 2016, a number of new initiatives and capabilities have been established within the EU - including the Permanent Structured Cooperation in Defense (PESCO), an Annual Defense Review (CARD), and the European Defense Fund (EDF).

This development can be linked to a number of internal and external events:

  • Russia's increasingly aggressive behaviour in the EU's immediate area,
  • The uncertainties in transatlantic relations under President Trump
  • The consequences of Brexit and China's growing geopolitical ambitions.

However, this development can also be linked to the Commission's role as a political entrepreneur and engine for the European project. The dissertation projects would partly contribute to the research on the driving forces behind security and defence policy cooperation in Europe. Among other things, my research would focus on a supranational actor - the European Commission - and thus contribute new empirical and theoretical insights. At the same time, the dissertation would also contribute to research on European integration in general.

The dissertation project is intended to be presented in article form published in recognized scientific journals with an expected final publication of the dissertation in 2023. To investigate the chosen research topic, the project will primarily use elite interviews, process tracking and document analysis.