The collective volume examines the interactions of European Union with its peripheries, by exploring the perceptions of diverse political elites towards the EU.
Özçelik, Ali Onur; Butnaru Troncotă, Miruna & Cucută, Radu-Alexandru (Eds.). Reconfiguring EU Peripheries: Political Elites, Contestation, and Geopolitical Shifts. Helsinki University Press 2024.
One of the central elements assessed in the volume is the constructed and contested nature of peripherality in connection to European Union integration. Throughout their research, the authors of the book argue that the concept of periphery is not a fixed one, but rather fluid and in constant change, encompassing issues of political, economic, and symbolic marginalization, fact which is observable in each of the case studies.
Aware of the economic underpinnings of the concept of periphery, the authors adopt a political and geopolitical meaning of the term and use this framework to examine how political elites in the studied peripheral countries perceive and engage with the EU, shaping their countries’ future trajectories in relation to the EU. Assessing peripherality as a multidimensional issue, the authors engage in defining peripheries from three main theoretical frameworks: post-structuralism, constructivism, and critical geopolitics.
The overarching research question that guides this volume is “How is the concept of ‘EU periphery’ defined by the perspectives of political elites interpreting their countries’ positions towards the EU?”. This is a timely and relevant inquiry, particularly given the multitude of systemic challenges the (peripheral) European countries had to deal with from 2010 until now, most notably the ongoing war in Ukraine, with various consequences for the integration processes.
The authors adopt a political and geopolitical meaning of the term and use this framework to examine how political elites in the studied peripheral countries perceive and engage with the EU, shaping their countries’ future trajectories in relation to the EU.
Hence, the two main objectives advanced by the authors are: First, to examine the various understandings of the EU’s interactions with its peripheries by outlining the constructed nature of ‘peripherality; and second: explore domestic political elites` attitudes towards the EU in eight relevant comparative case studies of countries at different stages of EU integration/accession processes, namely EU member states (Romania and Hungary), candidate countries (Ukraine, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Türkiye), and prospective candidates (Kosovo and Georgia).
Methodologically, the volume relies on qualitative data collection, employing semi-structured interviews with political elites in each of the eight aforementioned countries. This approach allows the researchers to capture the nuanced and often ambivalent perceptions that political leaders hold towards the EU. The choice of countries at different stages of EU integration enables a comparative analysis of how peripherality is constructed and contested across different political and economic contexts.
Accordingly, the comparative approach provides a nuanced understanding of how political elites in these countries frame their nations’ positions towards EU integration (or lack thereof) within the broader geopolitical landscape. The focus on semi-structured interviews ensures that the data collected yields rich and detailed insights, since the subjective perspectives of political elites lay at the center of the authors` argumentation.
Tying political elites’ perceptions on peripherality to the broader EU integration debate
The book entails both theoretical discussions and empirical case studies, being sectioned into three parts. The first part focuses on Hungary and Romania, two EU member states that are viewed as “inner peripheries” due to their marginal positions within EU structures.
The second chapter reveals Hungary`s increasing peripheral position due to its nationalistic foreign policy views that are rather contesting EU foreign policy and shape nationalist responses to European crises (such as the war in Ukraine).
Chapter three examines Romania`s stigmatized status as an EU “laggard” and how events like the second failed Schengen bid have influenced Romanian elites’ ambivalence towards the EU, rising frustration and Eurosceptic attitudes. The authors argue that Romania’s peripheral perceived status within the EU is rather a political and symbolic construction than an economic or geographical consequence.
The second part shifts attention to candidate countries. Hence, the forth chapter assesses Ukraine’s political elites` evolving perspectives towards the EU, particularly in light of Russia’s war of aggression, revealing the elites` attitudes towards the EU haven`t changed significantly, since Ukraine shares a strong sense of belonging to the EU space and culture, contesting the label of peripherality.
Chapter five evaluates Moldova’s evolving relationship with the EU, revealing the elites` determination towards an irreversible process of Europeanization of the country, as well as an accepted status of periphery. Chapter six analyzes political elites` attitudes towards EU in Bosnia and Herzegovina, revealing that the Eurosceptic attitudes have been long constructed by the politicians who show strong apathy towards the EU, reflecting deep internal ethno-national divides.
The book overall highlights how periphery should not be viewed in geographic and economic terms, but also political and symbolic, shaped by ongoing geopolitical shifts that have either strengthened calls for “more EU” involvement or triggered disappointment over unmet expectations.
Chapter seven delves into Türkiye’s declining enthusiasm for EU integration, as Turkish elites increasingly see the EU as unreliable, shifting from conditional cooperation to a more transactional approach, especially after the migration crisis and the war in Ukraine. The chapter reveals growing perceptions of the country as a periphery.
The third part, encompassing chapters eight and nine, examines Kosovo and Georgia`s positions in relation to the EU. In chapter eight, the authors reveal the ambivalent positions of Georgian elites, who simultaneously support and oppose EU integration, being satisfied with the status of “periphery” since it allows them to adopt a series of reforms while avoiding others.
Chapter nine reveals Kosovo’s political elites` ambivalent stance, since they assume a strong commitment to EU integration, while strongly criticizing the contesting EU treatment towards the country.
As a corollary, in the final chapter, the authors draw insights from the case studies, providing a comparative analysis of the political dynamics at the EU’s periphery, analysis grounded in post-structuralist and constructivist perspectives.
The book overall highlights how periphery should not be viewed in geographic and economic terms, but also political and symbolic, shaped by ongoing geopolitical shifts that have either strengthened calls for “more EU” involvement or triggered disappointment over unmet expectations. Each chapter uses different theoretical frameworks and data, offering rich insights into the complex, non-binary understanding of peripherality across the studied countries.
Analysis and final thoughts
One of the most evident conclusions of the research is that every studied country internalizes its “periphery” status differently, aligning with the term in some cases and contesting it in other cases. It is interesting, for instance, to look at how states perceive their own peripherality based on different variables.
Ukraine, for example, doesn`t see itself as a peripheral state, but as a inherent part of Europe, due to their historical, cultural and geopolitical sharing, while accepts its peripheral status from an economic standpoint. Türkiye, on the other hand, is seen as a periphery due to its lack of democratization process and compliance to the standards of EU. Romania, in contrast, but for its alignment to EU standards and values, is self-perceived as peripheral by elites.
The volume, nevertheless, might have two main limitations, both acknowledged by the authors themselves. The first one would be the lack of female representatives among the interviewees, which can be considered one potential weakness, as it could limit the diversity of viewpoints captured in the study.
Reconfiguring EU Peripheries is a timely and important contribution to the literature on EU integration. By examining how political elites in peripheral regions view their countries’ relationships with the EU.
Moreover, employing a qualitative approach, but for the in-depts insights it provides, results might not be as easily generalizable as for a quantitative approach. At the same time, the chapters use different theoretical frameworks and data, which could, again, make drawing generalizations and direct comparisons between the countries even harder.
However, Reconfiguring EU Peripheries is a timely and important contribution to the literature on EU integration. By examining how political elites in peripheral regions view their countries’ relationships with the EU, the authors provide valuable insights into the fluid and constructed nature of peripherality, providing a nuanced perspective to the EU integration debates, challenging the conventional understanding of contestation and peripherality.
The comparative approach and rich qualitative data, as well as the choosing of the case studies and analytical rigor make it a valuable resource for scholars and policymakers interested in EU integration, geopolitics, and the future of Europe’s peripheries, since the research advances a new, alternative way of viewing the core-periphery relations, from the peripheries point of view, which is most of the times overlooked.
Provocative in its scope, with empirically rich case studies, the volume sheds light on the complexities of EU integration from the perspective of EU`s peripheries, revealing the deep ambivalences and contestations that characterize the relationship between the EU and its peripheral regions, in troubling times for Europe generally and Eastern regions particularly. It remains a unique, ambitious and much needed contribution to the field of EU integration studies, due to the obtained results that both produce knowledge on the EU periphery dynamics and leaves space further avenues of research.
Rebeca-Miriana Basut is a PhD candidate in political science at the National University of Political and Administrative Studies (SNSPA), Bucharest, Romania, and a junior researcher at the Center for European Studies SNSPA.
Article image: Alexey Larionov / Unsplash
