Historical And Institutional Perspective

Running head: HISTORICAL AND INSTITUTIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE
EUROPEAN UNION
Historical and Institutional Perspectives on the European Union
Student’s name
University
Author’s note

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HISTORICAL AND INSTITUTIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE EUROPEAN UNION
In the field of European Studies, elements of history and politics play an instrumental
role. The academic discipline primarily focuses on current developments in the field of European
integration. Therefore, the broader research area pertaining to European studies combine
European law, European language and literature, history, economics, international relations,
national politics, as well as social aspects of the European societies.1Moreover, to construct a
sound framework for a research project, theoretical concepts are of utmost importance. Theories
are formulated with the purpose of explaining, comprehending and forecasting phenomena, and
in some cases, challenging the existing understanding to extend the limit of knowledge. 2
In the present research, the study focuses on the historical elements of two scholarly
worksby Ian Manners, namely European communion: political theory of European unionbyand
Normative Power Europe: A Contradiction in Terms?Ian Manners is an eminent writer and
professor of Political Science. Apart from Political Science, his research areas also includes
International Relations, Political Theories and International Public Administration. Prof.
Manners has significant contribution in the field of European Studies as a prominent researcher
of the European Union.3 The two chosen articles of Prof. Manners are primary examples of his
eminence and original contribution to the study of the European Union. Like many of his other
studies, these two articles also include sound frameworks of political theories, as well as
incorporates historical elements to contextualize the issues. To elaborate, the first article explores
the political theory of the European Union to identify Europe as a political object. The latter
1Telò, Mario. International relations: a European perspective. Routledge, 2016.
2Shively, W. Phillips. The craft of political research. Routledge, 2017.
3 Baun, Michael J. An imperfect Union: The Maastricht Treaty and the new politics of European integration.
Routledge, 2018.

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HISTORICAL AND INSTITUTIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE EUROPEAN UNION
expounds the international role of the European Union in pursuit of the abolition of death penalty
in order to establish EU as a normative power. In both cases, historical case studies play a crucial
role. In the first article, the historical element in the research helps to comprehend the
communion or subjective sharing of relationship, whereas in the former, the same helps to
identify the case studies on EU’s role in abolition of capital punishment. Moreover, the
theoretical framework of both the articles allows the readers grasp their purpose and evaluate the
establishment of the hypotheses.4
Hedley Bull past twenty years in the Journal named Common market studies
thrown intense analysis in the civilian power of the European community in overseas affairs. The
enhanced character of European community since that period in the zone of defense and security
policy has inclined to embracing the conception of military force in Europe. The argument of
Bull initiate by short-termsurveying in the theoretical historical background of military and civil
force in Europe past twenty years for the purpose of positioning the of the conventional concept
of the international character of European union5. The European Union on 9th may, 2000 to
rejoice 50th anniversary regarding Schuman Declaration on the Europe Day distributed
promotional material announcing 50 centuries of prosperity, solidarity and peace6. Nevertheless
4 Nugent, Neill. The government and politics of the European Union. Palgrave, 2017.
5Guerrina, Roberta, and Katharine AM Wright. "Gendering normative power Europe: lessons of
the Women, Peace and Security agenda." International Affairs 92, no. 2 (2016): 293-312.
6Gordon, Neve, and Sharon Pardo. "Normative power Europe meets the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict." Asia Europe Journal 13, no. 3 (2015): 265-274.

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HISTORICAL AND INSTITUTIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE EUROPEAN UNION
the allegation to be uniquely accountable for peace attainment is considered as questionable,
there is reflection from the slogan the fact that since the establishment of steel community and
European coal, the European Unionhas enhanced domesticated connection in between the
member nations7.
The concept of civilian influence is criticized by Bull in 1982 for inefficiency and deficit
of self-sufficiency in military influence. The remedy that is suggested by Bull was that it is
obligatory for the European Union to become self-sufficient in the context of security and
defense through the seven stages. The seven stages are condition of deterrent forces of nuclear
powered, the enhancement of traditional forces, the superior character of the West Germany. In
addition to this it also involve more engagement on the portion of France, police change in
Britain, cautious coexistence with the United States and Soviet Union. The resolution suggested
by Bull during the cold war of 1980s was shot the European Community into the Europe military
influence.
The theoretic of politics of European Union over the involvement in between the
theoretical understandings and political conceptions facilitates the method for identification of
the political object of European Union. It is contended that evaluating the processes, projects and
produces of the European Union is rest on communion or sharing deliver the improved method
of observing European Union as party-political article rather than cooperation and integration8.
7Pardo, Sharon. Normative power Europe meets Israel: perceptions and realities. Lexington
Books, 2015.
8Hoskyns, Catherine. Democratizing the European Union: issues for the twenty-first century.
Routledge, 2018.