The European Union as a Normative Power: A Response to Thomas Diez

TY - JOUR

T1 - The European Union as a Normative Power

T2 - A Response to Thomas Diez

AU - Manners, Ian

PY - 2006

Y1 - 2006

N2 - In his recent article in Millennium 33, no. 3 (2005), Thomas Diez's reconsideration of the Normative Power (NP) thesis raises a number of important questions about the European Union (EU) as a normative power in world politics. His article critically problematises NP and calls for ‘a greater degree of self-reflexivity' in discussions and representations of the EU as a NP. This response to Diez's article will develop the thesis of the EU as an NP by primarily addressing his main argument that: ‘the EU is not the first normative power, and self/other practices ... can be observed in other historical instances, notably the United States' and his two minor arguments: that ‘the concept of ‘normative power', rather than being distinct from ‘civilian power', is already embedded in the latter'; and ‘the discourse on ‘normative power Europe' is an important practice of European identity construction'. It will be argued that the EU as an NP is different from great powers and distinctive from civilian power. But Diez's reconsideration does from civilian power. But Diez's reconsideration does raise a number of interesting questions of the EU selves in both ‘othering' practices and reflexivity.

AB - In his recent article in Millennium 33, no. 3 (2005), Thomas Diez's reconsideration of the Normative Power (NP) thesis raises a number of important questions about the European Union (EU) as a normative power in world politics. His article critically problematises NP and calls for ‘a greater degree of self-reflexivity' in discussions and representations of the EU as a NP. This response to Diez's article will develop the thesis of the EU as an NP by primarily addressing his main argument that: ‘the EU is not the first normative power, and self/other practices ... can be observed in other historical instances, notably the United States' and his two minor arguments: that ‘the concept of ‘normative power', rather than being distinct from ‘civilian power', is already embedded in the latter'; and ‘the discourse on ‘normative power Europe' is an important practice of European identity construction'. It will be argued that the EU as an NP is different from great powers and distinctive from civilian power. But Diez's reconsideration does from civilian power. But Diez's reconsideration does raise a number of interesting questions of the EU selves in both ‘othering' practices and reflexivity.

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0305-8298

VL - 35

SP - 167

EP - 180

JO - Millennium - Journal of International Studies

JF - Millennium - Journal of International Studies

IS - 1

ER -