Developing and utilising a realist-constructivist analytical framework
      towards understanding the European Union’s Common Security and Defence
      Policy
Creators: name: Turpin, Lee D
Publisher: name: Lancaster University
Year: 2018
Subjects: International Relations

description: This thesis develops and utilises a realist-constructivist framework for
      the purposes of analysing the development of the European Union’s Common
      Security and Defence Policy. This thesis challenges ‘paradigmatic
      thinking’ within the discipline of International Relations to demonstrate
      that constructivist elements are not only commensurable to realist
      analysis of international relations, but can bring added value to our
      understanding of how states’ interpret and respond to the threats and
      incentives of the international system.
      
      
      Inspired by readings of classical realism, this thesis recognises that
      whilst structural realism provides theoretical parsimony and elegance in
      its appreciation for the role of power within the international system, it
      lacks the necessary analytical toolkit to understand how states respond to
      the threats and incentives of anarchy. This is demonstrated with specific
      reference to the shortcomings of extant realist approaches to the complex
      empirical puzzle that is the Common Security and Defence Policy, which
      have resulted in realist theorising being relatively side-lined in
      relation to this policy area. To address this gap in the literature, it
      draws upon a neoclassical realist multi-level model of foreign policy
      analysis, to integrate structural realist analysis at the system-level
      with constructivist analysis at the unit-level. 
      
      
      In order to demonstrate the utility of this novel framework this thesis
      applies it to understanding the development of the Common Security and
      Defence Policy, making the case that this development may be interpreted
      as an instance of limited transatlantic bandwagoning under unipolarity to
      ameliorate the ‘alliance dilemma’ – the dichotomous dangers of entrapment
      and abandonment by the senior partner in the alliance. However, the
      approaches of EU member states facing similar system-level threats and
      incentives to this policy area diverge. Therefore the ‘black box’ of the
      state is opened to explore whether the scope and pace of involvement is
      impacted by ideational factors at the national level. This thesis takes
      account of the security cultures of the United Kingdom and Germany
      specifically as a basis by which to understand their respective approaches
      towards developing security and defence cooperation through the EU. 
      
      
      In this sense, the thesis aspires to make a contribution to the literature
      in both empirical and conceptual terms. The investigation into the
      development of the Common Security and Defence Policy is understood
      through reference to both material and ideational factors and the
      interaction between these provides empirical findings, but the thesis also
      formulates a realist-constructivist framework to integrate these factors
      into a single analysis, which has attracted limited scholarly attention
      thus far. Furthermore, the developed realist-constructivist analytical
      framework offers significant insights on the continuing relevance of the
      realist tradition within International Relations to complement existing
      scholarship, on both theoretical pluralism and the Common Security and
      Defence Policy. The thesis thus offers a particular formulation and
      demonstration of realist-constructivist synthesis, but points to further
      opportunities of the framework within EU and global politics.