Politics of the European Union in Bosnia-Herzegovina
Subtitle: between conflict and democracy
By: Doga Ulas Eralp
Publisher: Lexington Books
Published: 2012
Place of publication: Lanham, Md
Language: eng
Number of pages: 135
ISBN-13: 9780739149454; 9780739149478
Subjects: Politics and government; Democratization; European Union
Description: This volume evaluates the European Union's ability to transform the escalating political tensions at a period where the post-conflict balance of the Dayton Peace Agreement is turning increasingly unsustainable. The author questions whether reforms integral to the EU membership process and existing European crisis management mechanisms can liberate Bosnian politics from the help of ethno-nationalism and plant the seeds for a successful liberal democracy. The text captures the tools and history of the EU's accession strategy for Bosnia-Herzegovina and the challenges of the Dayton system as two interrelated narratives, both exploring the realities of Bosnian politics and analyzing the overall quality of Bosnian democracy. Bosnia's consociational system, the role of the international community, and the intervention of the European Union are all put under the spotlight as the institutional and political factors behind Bosnia's stagnation. The text concludes with a discussion of factors that impact the effectiveness of the European Union as an important transformative actor in Bosnia.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction; title: Conditions for liberal democracy in Bosnia; title: The Dayton system; title: EU membership perspective for Bosnia; title: The European Union's crisis management mechanisms; title: Conclusion.