Co-edited with Richard Whitman, this book offers an up-to-date and accessible analysis of the theories, processes and practice of the European Union’s role in managing conflict in Europe, Asia and Africa and examines both institutional and policy aspects of EU conflict management.
As the EU is confronted with crises in its immediate neighbourhood (Libya, Syria) and simultaneously with a US that appears to be no longer willing to tackle these for the EU, this comprehensive assessment of the EU’s performance as a conflict manager could not be more timely. The lessons which this volume identifies should feed into EU decision-making at this very moment. Sven Biscop, Egmont Institute
The European Union as a Global Conflict Manager offers a coherent and detailed assessment of the EU’s record in managing various conflicts around the world. The editors combine an analysis of the EU’s capabilities with an analysis of the factors shaping specific conflicts, and thus offer a substantive way of assessing the success or failure of EU interventions. Contributors then examine the EU’s record in a large number of cases, from Afghanistan to sub-Saharan Africa. The book concludes with a critical analysis of the EU’s record (and its limitations as a conflict manager), and provides clear recommendations for improving that record. An important contribution, which should be read by scholars, students and policy-makers across the EU and beyond. Karen Smith, London School of Economics