Between the Principled Pragmatism and the Normative Approach: Which Approach the European Union is following in Jordan?

Lina Aleassa

doi:10.35516/hum.v52i5.2583

Authors

Lina Aleassa Doctoral School of International Relations and Political Science, Corvinus University, Budapest, Hungary https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3726-0899

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35516/hum.v52i5.2583

Keywords:

Entrapment, Normative Approach, Principled Pragmatism, Resilience

Abstract

Objectives: The study aimed to clarify that the European Union (EU) is trapped between its normative approach which seeks to promote the EU idealized values as emphasized by the European Security Strategy of 2003, and its principled pragmatism approach, which makes resilience building the governing rationale of the EU's engagement in the region, as illustrated by the European Union Global Strategy of 2016.This shift following the Arab Spring aimed to reconcile the EU values and interests, yet the study revealed the EU is trapped between these two approaches.

Methods: This study is built on a textual analysis of the literature on the EU's external action within the framework of the EU's engagement with Jordan, a partner of the EU, document analysis of their cooperation including their bilateral and multilateral agreements supported by semi- structured interviews with project managers of the 'EU Support to Jordanian Democratic Institutions and Development' along academics, politicians and civil activists from Jordan and the EU.

Results: The results of the study showed that with all the crises in the EU Southern Neighborhood, the EU has found itself trapped, where choosing the right path between its values, the normative approach and interest, the pragmatist approach, has been a challenge. Further, it revealed that the EU is incapable of fostering resilience sources including effective governance, social trust and legitimacy.

Conclusions: The study suggested scenarios the EU may adopt to reduce the rhetoric-practice gap and reveal the EU's commitment to its values including dropping the selective applicability of conditionality

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Afifeh, R. (2014, August 05). EU relations with Jordan: Based on values or interests? Retrieved from academia: EU relations with Jordan: Based on values or interests?

Al-Abadi, B. (2012, December 08). Jordanian clans are a political and reform unit. Retrieved from Ammonnews: https://www.ammonnews.net/article/128701

Aleassa, L. (2020). Fostering Resilience in the Aftermath of the 2015 European Neighborhood Policy Review Evidence from Jordan. In M. Ladislav et al, Nordsci International Conference ,Conference Proceedings (pp. 129-151). Sofia: Saima Cnsult LTD.

Alougili , M. (2019). The Impact of Syrian Refugee on Jordanian National Security. European Journal of Social Sciences, 2(3), 83-99. https://doi.org/10.26417

Anholt, R., & Wagner , W. (2016). Resilience as the EU Global Strategy’s new leitmotif: pragmatic, problematic or promising? Journal of Contemporary Security Policy, 37(3), 414-430. https://doi.org/10.1080/13523260.2016.1228034

Anholt, R., & Sinatti, G. (2019). Under the guise of resilience: The EU approach to migration and forced displacement in Jordan and Lebanon. Contemporary Security Policy, 311-335.

Ayasrah, A. (2009). Jordan Stands at the Front Line of Combating Terrorism. Philadelphia: U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks,.

Badarin , E., & Schumacher, T. (2020). The EU, Resilience and the Southern Neighbourhood After the Arab Uprisings. In E. Cusumano , & S. Hofmaier, Projecting Resilience Across the Mediterranean (pp. 63-84). London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Bargués, P., & Morillas, P. (2021). From democratization to fostering resilience: EU intervention and the challenges of building institutions, social trust, and legitimacy in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Democratization, 28(7), 1319-1337. https://doi.org/10.1080/13510347.2021.1900120

Bourbeau, P. (2013). Resilience, Security, and World Politics. In The Routledge Handbook of International Resilience (pp. 50-65). London: Routledge.

Chandler , D. (2014). Resilience The Governance of Complexity. London: Routledge.

Christophersen, M. (2013). Protest and reform in Jordan Popular demand and government response 2011 to 2012. Norway: Fafo.

Colombo , S., & Tocci , N. (2012). The EU Response to the Arab Uprising; Old Wine in New Bottles? In R. Alcaro , & M. Haubrich-Seco (Eds.), Re-thinking Western Policies in Light of the Arab Uprising (pp. 71-97). Roma: Edizioni Nuova Cultura

Conrad, A. (2019, June 05). Civil Society Organizations in Jordan: Between Society & State? Retrieved from academia: https://www.academia.edu/21923914/Civil_Society_Organizations_in_Jordan_Between_Sociey_and_State

Council of the European Union. (2003, December 08). European Security Strategy : a secure Europe in a better world. https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2860/1402

Council of the European Union. (2010, October 26). Ninth Meeting of the EU-Jordan Association Council ,Statement by the European Union Retrieved from https://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/er/117414.pdf

Ekundayo, W. J. (2017). Good Governance Theory and the Quest for Good Governance in Nigeria. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science , 7(3), 157-163.

Elkahlout, G., & Hadid, A. (2021). Stable Jordan: How A Monarchy Survived Disorder. Asian Affairs, 52(4), 852-871. https://doi.org/10.1080/03068374.2021.1996802

El-Khazen , I. (2021, September 22). Jordan's king reiterates support for 2-state solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict in UN speech. Retrieved from Anadolu Agency : https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/jordans-king-reiterates-support-for-2-state-solution-to-israeli-palestinian-conflict-in-un-speech/2372384#

European Center for Electoral Support. (2022, September 05). EU Support to Jordanian Democratic Institutions and Development, EU-JDID. Retrieved from European Center for Electoral Support: http://democracy-support.eu/jordan/

Eurpean Commision . (2011a, March 08). Joint Communication to theEuropean Council,the Parliament, the Council,the European Economic and Socail Committee and the Committee of Regions A Partnership for Democracy and Shared Proseperity With the Southern Mediterranian. Retrieved from EUR-Lex Acceess to European Union Law: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/GA/ALL/?uri=CELEX:52011DC0200

European Commission. (2011b, May 25). Joint Communication to the European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of Regions. Retrieved from https://eeas.europa.eu/: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2011:0303:FIN:en:PDF

European Commission. (2015, November 08). Joint Communication to the European Barliament , the Council , the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of Regions. Retrieved from http://eeas.europa.eu/: http://eeas.europa.eu/archives/docs/enp/documents/2015/151118_joint-communication_review-of-the-enp_en.pdf

European Union Extrenal Action. (2016, June 28). Shared Vision, Common Action:A Stronger Europe A Global Strategy for the European Union’s Foreign And Security Policy. Retrieved from eeas.europa.eu: https://eeas.europa.eu/sites/eeas/files/eugs_review_web_0.pdfFernández, H. A. (2013, March 22). The missing spring in the EU’s Mediterranean policies. Retrieved from Real Instituto Elcano: https://www.realinstitutoelcano.org/en/analyses/the-missing-spring-in-the-eus-mediterranean-policies/

Hartnett, A. S., & Al-Ajloun, L. (2022). Drastic Measures: Coercive Enforcement and Economic Effects of Pandemic Suppression in Jordan. Washington: Elliott School of International Affairs.

Hodges, E. (2021, September 25). EUROPEAN CENTREFOR ELECTORAL SUPPORTPROGRAMME RESUMEThis programme is fundedby the European UnionEU Support to Jordanian DemocraticInstitutions & Development. Retrieved from docplayer: https://docplayer.net/198631818-Programme-resume-eu-jdid-eu-support-to-jordanian-democratic-institutions-development-european-centre-for-electoral-support.html

International Republican Institute. (2021). State of Democracy in Jordan Public Opinion Survey: Residents of Jordan. Washington: International Republican Institute.

Jameel, A., & Asif, M. (2019). Good Governance and Public Trust: Assessing the Mediating Effect of E-Government in Pakistan. Lex Localis -Journal of Local Self-Governemnt, 17(2), 299-320. doi:https://doi.org/10.4335/17.2.299-320(2019)

Juncos, A. E. (2018). EU Security Sector Reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Reform or Resist. Contemporary Security Policy, 39(1), 95–118.

Manners, I. (2002). Normative Power Europe: A Contradiction in Terms? Journal of Common Market Studies, 40(2), 235-58. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1468-5965.00353

Mansoor, M. (2021). Citizens' trust in government as a function of good governance and government agency's provision of quality information on social media during COVID-19. Government Information Quarterly, 38(4), 54-68. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2021.101597

Merhej, K. (2022, May 25). Latest Political Reforms in Jordan: Systemic Changes on the Horizon? Retrieved from The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy: https://timep.org/commentary/analysis/latest-political-reforms-in-jordan-systemic-changes-on-the-horizon/

Mihalache, I. (2016, September 08). Principled pragmatism in EU foreign policy: A return to Realpolitik or rapprochement with Russia. Retrieved from The Centre for Geopolitics & Security in Realism Studies: http://cgsrs.org/publications/80

Morillas, P. (2019). Autonomy in intergovernmentalism: the role of de novo bodies in external action during the making of the EU Global Strategy. Journal of European Integration, 42(2), 231-246. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/07036337.2019.1666116

Pollock, D., & Khan, S. (2021, December 06). United States Still Tops List of Great Powers "Important" to Jordan's Public. Retrieved from Washington Institute: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/united-states-still-tops-list-great-powers-important-jordans-public

Press and inforamtion team of the Delegation to Jordan. (2021, August 16). The European Union and Jordan. Retrieved from Delegation of the European Union to Jordan: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/jordan/european-union-and-jordan_en?s=201

Reid, J., & Evans, B. (2014). Resilient Life: The Art of Living Dangerously. London: Polity Press.

Seeberg, P. (2009). The EU as a realist actor in normative clothes: EU democracy promotion in Lebanon and the European Neighbourhood Policy. Democratization, 16(1), 81–99.

Seeberg, P. (2016). Jordan, the European Neighbourhood Policy, and Commonalities of Interest: Building a Security Partnership Rather Than a Security Community. In P. Rieker, External Governance as Security Community Building (pp. 163-186). Oslo: Norwegian Institute of International Affairs.

Stollenwerk, E., HYPERLINK "https://www.tandfonline.com/author/B%C3%B6rzel%2C+Tanja+A" Börzel, T ., & Risse, T. (2021). Theorizing resilience-building in the EU’s neighbourhood: introduction to the special issue. Democrritization, 28(7), 1219-1238. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/13510347.2021.1957839

The Global Economy. (2022, March 03). Jordan Government effectiveness. Retrieved from The Global Economy: https://www.theglobaleconomy.com/Jordan/wb_government_effectiveness/

The Global Economy. (2022, May 05). Jordan: Political rights. Retrieved from The Global Economy: https://www.theglobaleconomy.com/Jordan/political_rights/

The World Bank. (2015, October 05). World Bank: Economic Indicators Failed to Predict Arab Uprisings. Retrieved from https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2015/10/21/economic-indicators-failed-to-predict-arab-uprisings

Tocci, N. (2020). Resilience and the role of the European Union in the world. Contemporary Security Policy, 41(2), 176-194. https://10.1080/13523260.2019.1640342

Tömmel, I. (2013, May 29). The EU’s New Neighbourhood Policy: An Appropriate Response to the Arab Spring? Retrieved from E-International Relations: https://www.e-ir.info/2013/05/29/the-new-neighbourhood-policy-of-the-eu-an-appropriate-response-to-the-arab-spring/

United Nations Jordan. (2021, June 20). On World Refugee Day, Jordan continues to be the second host country of refugees per capita in the world. Retrieved from United Nations Jordan: https://jordan.un.org/en/132334-world-refugee-day-jordan-continues-be-second-host-country-refugees-capita-world

Vanheukelom, J. (2012, January 01). Political conditionality in the EU’s development cooperation – pointers for a broader debate. Retrieved from ecdpm.org: https://ecdpm.org/great-insights/trade-and-human-rights/political-conditionality-eus-dev-cooperation-broader-debate/

Volpi, F., & Cavatorta , F. (2006). Forgetting democratization? Recasting power and authority in a plural Muslim world. Democritization , 13(3), 363-372. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/13510340600579227

Youngs, R. (2015). Twenty Years of Euro-Mediterranean Relations. London: Routledge.

Zielonka, J. (2013). Europe's new civilizing missions: the EU's normative power discourse. Journal of Political Ideologies, 18(1), 35-55. https://doi.org/10.1080/13569317.2013.750172