Looking after the 'European' interest? Neoclassical realism and the European Union's engagement with sub-Saharan Africa

Patrick Holden*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

This chapter offers an explanation of the European Union's (EU) policies towards Africa, using neoclassical realist and international political economy (IPE) insights. It outlines what neoclassical realist and critical IPE theories have to contribute to our understanding of the EU as an international actor and of its foreign-policy and external-relations system. Subsequently, the chapter analyses how the EU's policy towards sub-Saharan Africa has evolved, with an emphasis on its trade policy, in relation to the changing global context and the developing strategies of other international actors. In summary, neoclassical realism encourages us to look for opportunities caused by changes in the international distribution of power to study the internal dynamics of the EU. Neoclassical realism offers only a rough panoramic model of the EU's evolving international role. Its structure is sui generis and the 'intervening domestic variables' are complex in such a multi-level, and to a degree transnational, system.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationNeoclassical realism in European politics
Subtitle of host publicationBringing power back in
PublisherManchester University Press
Pages161-181
Number of pages21
ISBN (Electronic)9781526186072
ISBN (Print)9780719083525
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 30 Jul 2024
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Social Sciences

Keywords

  • Domestic variables
  • European Union
  • External-relations system
  • Foreign-policy
  • International political economy
  • Neoclassical realism
  • Panoramic model
  • Sub-Saharan Africa

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