The main objective of this paper is to analyze how the concept of security within the EU's Eastern Partnership (EaP) has evolved over time in response to the shifting security landscape in the Eastern neighborhood. The research aims to determine if securitization has become more prevalent in the EaP and how the security concept has shifted since the EaP's inception. Basing it on a qualitative strategy and supplemented with quantitative methods, the research used content analysis on selected key terms in official EaP documents spanning from 2009 to 2021. The coding was focused on ‘security’ and terms associated with it coupled with additional terms of ‘economic integration’; ‘stability’; ‘strategic’; ‘prosperity’; and ‘common values’. Securitization theory, rooted in constructivism, was used to explain how securitizing actors utilize speech acts to draw attention to issues. Findings indicate that ‘security’ has become more prevalent over the years and that it has evolved from dealing with ‘energy security’ to involving new types of security, such as ‘human security’ and ‘cyber security.’ Other non-security related terms, especially ‘economic integration’, has become less prevalent over the years. The results indicate the EaP is shifting its focus from economic integration to securitization, with 'Security' emerging as the new primary goal, encompassing areas like cyber and human security in response to Russian destabilization efforts. Future EU policies, particularly after the next EaP summit, are expected to further emphasize security, potentially including military aspects, especially considering the EU's support for Ukraine. The causes of this shift are complex, involving both reactive adaptations by the EU and strategic moves to counter Russian influence, necessitating further research post-summit on the evolving nature of securitization in the EaP.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:su-230387 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Grimsvik, Tor |
| Publisher | Stockholms universitet, Institutionen för ekonomisk historia och internationella relationer |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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