Keynote Speech to Belgrade Security Forum on the 'Ramifications of the Retreat of Liberalism for the European Union and its Normative Power'
Activity: Talk or presentation types › Lecture and oral contribution
Links
- Ramifications of the Retreat of Liberalism for the European Union and its Normative Power
- EU TO EXERCISE ITS NORMATIVE POWER TO OVERCOME CRISIS Professor Ian Manners, (Uni. of Copenhagen), who works at the nexus of critical social theory and the study of the European Union in planetary politics, started off by questioning the main concepts concerning the topic – What do we mean by liberalism? What do we mean by the EU, crisis, normative power, international security and international community? Liberalism has been dominant for the past 70 years, but recent issues have posed a question, is liberalism in retreat? A survey by Freedom House was presented, which argued that in the past 13 years, the world has become less free. “We are witnessing a loss of democracy, loss of freedom of speech, loss of human rights, loss of political rights” Manners assessed. He pointed out 3 tendencies: 1) the decline of liberalism; 2) the rise of authoritarian nationalists; 3) the rise of neo-liberalism, which he defines as privatisation of public life. Liberalism in its purest sense- the idea of freedom- is in retreat, but in the sense of freedom of the market- the dominant portrayal of behaviour of corporate activity- neoliberalism continues happily on its way. He continued to examine what kind of an actor the EU should be in the 21st century. The EU has been and continues to be in crisis, not simply a democracy or migration crisis, but it continues to sow the seeds of its own crisis by perpetuating inequality within the context of neoliberalism. ‘So what should the EU be doing in this situation of retreat of liberalism?’ Manners sees the solution in normative power. Normative power is the ability to shape and define norms, but does not mean forcing someone to do something. Normative power is actually a promotion of peace, but peace and prosperity are not enough. “What we need is solidarity, as it is the most necessary ingredient of power. The EU citizens are unified around the idea that it should deliver peace, and if the EU is still to matter it should strengthen solidarity from “I” to “us”,” he said. Therefore, the way Manners sees the solution when it comes to the EU managing this issue of the retreat of liberalism, is defining what makes us ontologically insecure, addressing real security issues while taking on a planetary approach. The EU failed with migration crisis, but still has the issue of climate change to tackle at the global level. Therefore, the way Manners sees the solution when it comes to E U managing this issue of retreat of liberalism, is defining what makes us ontologically insecure, addressing real security issues while taking on a planetary approach. The EU failed with migration crisis, but still has the issue of climate change to tackle with at the global level.
Ian James Manners - Other
- Department of Political Science
- Centre for European Politics
‘Liberalism’, ‘European Union’, ‘international community’: touchstones of Western Europe for seven decades. Now all seem to be in retreat. In unison.
How to address the ‘retreat of Liberalism? How to address the ‘crisis of the EU’? How to address the ‘breakdown of the international community’? Each of these questions contain a myriad of separate questions about ‘populism’, ‘inequality’, and ‘disorder’. Rarely are these questions asked together, at the same time, and from a different perspective.
The speech raises all these questions, but from a different direction. It asks whether Liberalism should be considered the dominant ideology of the 21st century? It asks whether the EU should be an important actor in the 21st century? It asks whether ‘normative power’ should be the projection of the EU in 21st century international politics? And finally, its asks whether the hegemony of international community and/or global competition is appropriate for the 21st century?
The speech sets out the problems of assuming Liberalism was dominant, is in retreat, and should be defended in its dominant ideological form. It sets out the problems of assuming the current EU was important, is in crisis, and should be retained in its current legal-institutional form. It sets out the problems of assuming that normative power was a traditional power projection, is a traditional power projection, and should be a traditional power projection in international politics. Finally, the speech sets out the problems of assuming that the international community was hegemonic, is breaking down, and should be defended in international politics. But the speech goes further in setting out how assumptions about national security, regional security, and international security suffer from similar problematic assumptions.
The ramifications of the retreat of Liberalism for the EU and its Normative Power are captured by the need to address all these questions and problems holistically. A holistic approach to realising European Union in planetary politics means realising that Liberal ideology asks the wrong questions. It means realising that European union must answer the right questions. It means realising that normative power must move beyond accepting the status quo of power relations. It means realising that our planetary politics are characterised by truly planetary relations of causality that can only be understood and addressed holistically. And it means realising that insecurities can only be understood and addressed holistically when ontological security is realised.
How to address the ‘retreat of Liberalism? How to address the ‘crisis of the EU’? How to address the ‘breakdown of the international community’? Each of these questions contain a myriad of separate questions about ‘populism’, ‘inequality’, and ‘disorder’. Rarely are these questions asked together, at the same time, and from a different perspective.
The speech raises all these questions, but from a different direction. It asks whether Liberalism should be considered the dominant ideology of the 21st century? It asks whether the EU should be an important actor in the 21st century? It asks whether ‘normative power’ should be the projection of the EU in 21st century international politics? And finally, its asks whether the hegemony of international community and/or global competition is appropriate for the 21st century?
The speech sets out the problems of assuming Liberalism was dominant, is in retreat, and should be defended in its dominant ideological form. It sets out the problems of assuming the current EU was important, is in crisis, and should be retained in its current legal-institutional form. It sets out the problems of assuming that normative power was a traditional power projection, is a traditional power projection, and should be a traditional power projection in international politics. Finally, the speech sets out the problems of assuming that the international community was hegemonic, is breaking down, and should be defended in international politics. But the speech goes further in setting out how assumptions about national security, regional security, and international security suffer from similar problematic assumptions.
The ramifications of the retreat of Liberalism for the EU and its Normative Power are captured by the need to address all these questions and problems holistically. A holistic approach to realising European Union in planetary politics means realising that Liberal ideology asks the wrong questions. It means realising that European union must answer the right questions. It means realising that normative power must move beyond accepting the status quo of power relations. It means realising that our planetary politics are characterised by truly planetary relations of causality that can only be understood and addressed holistically. And it means realising that insecurities can only be understood and addressed holistically when ontological security is realised.
16 Oct 2019
Event (Conference)
Title | Belgrade Security Forum |
---|---|
Date | 16/10/2019 → 18/10/2019 |
Website | |
Location | Hyatt Regency Belgrade |
City | Belgrade |
Country/Territory | Serbia |
- Retreat of Liberalism, Neoliberalism, European Union, Normative Power
Research areas
ID: 233840306