Nicholas Smith
MA (European Studies)
EU normative socialisation in Armenia: Democratisation through the European Neighbourhood Policy
Qualifications
- BA (Political Science and Anthropology, University of Canterbury)
- BA (Hons) (Political Science, University of Canterbury)
Room
National Centre for Research on EuropeKirkwood Village KD04
Contact Details
nsm30@student.canterbury.ac.nz
Postal Address
c/o National Centre for Research on Europe
Kirkwood Village KD04
University of Canterbury
Private Bag 4800
Christchurch
New Zealand
Phone: +64 3 364 2987 ext 45675
Fax: +64 3 364 2634
Background
Main Research Interests
Post-Soviet Transition, Sport and Politics, Diaspora and Return Migration
Details of Research
EU Normative Socialisation in their Eastern Neighbourhood: Democratisation in Armenia through the ENP
This thesis examines the role of the EU as an agent for democratisation in the Eastern Neighbourhood through utilising Armenia as the primary case study.
Over time, the EU has presented itself as a credible and successful democratic facilitator in the international community (most notably through assimilation of ten states from the Central Eastern Europe region in 2004 and 2007). The EU has traditionally facilitated democratic transition in its neighbourhood through the offer of membership (conditionality); however, in the post-enlargement era, membership is no longer offer as an incentive for normative assimilation. Therefore, it is argued that the EU adopts a strategy of socialisation (multiple personal and institutional contacts with states and state agents in an effort to internalize new roles or group-community norms) as a normative facilitator in the ENP. This thesis utilises the coalition mode for external assistance of democratisation as proposed by Wade Jacoby as the overarching theoretical framework. The coalition mode asserts that external actors involved in democratisation interact with like-mined minority traditions (civil society actors) in order to facilitate normative transfers (via the strategies of conditionality and socialisation).
Armenia provides a unique case study in relation to EU normative socialization and democracy given the large number of variables in play. EU interaction with Armenia has remained positive since Armenian independence but has increased dramatically in the wake of the ENP. Armenia experiences notable pervasive democratic constraints stemming from the experience of a Soviet hangover, widespread apathy, the rise of politically charged oligarchs, the difficulty of undertaking multiple transitions simultaneously, and a distrust of international actors. This thesis explores democratisation in the scope of interaction stipulated in the ENP through specifically looking at free and fair elections and EU interaction with domestic NGOs. Concisely, free and fair elections were selected as they are frequently mentioned in official documents and represent a visible marker of democracy, domestic NGO’s have been selected due to their perceived importance of civil society to democratisation and the role the EU has in acting as a financial donor to domestic NGO’s.
Ultimately, the primary research objective for examining democratisation in Armenia via the external influence of the EU is to evaluate whether democratisation can be exported and whether the EU is still an effective agent of democratisation in the post-enlargement era of the ENP. This thesis also touches on a number of secondary research objectives which include examining democratisation in the post-Soviet context, the geopolitical dimensions of democratisation and the effectiveness of EU foreign policy. Through utilising Armenia as the primary case study, this thesis intends the research to be applicable to the broader context of EU promotion of democratisation in their Eastern Neighbourhood (specifically the Eastern members of the ENP, namely; Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine and the non-ENP post-Soviet states of Central Asia). Primary fieldwork was conducted in Armenia during September 2009 where interviews were undertaken with key informants involved in the democratisation process.
Publications
The Potential of Return Migration as a Resource for EU Public Diplomacy Efforts: A Case-Study of New Zealand Return Migrants from the EU, By Natalia Chaban, Martin Holland and Nicolas Smith
European Journal of Cross-Cultural Competence and Management Vol 1 No 4 pg 378-398 (EJCCM) 2010