European Union Foreign Policy in a Changing World

European Union Foreign Policy in a Changing World provides a clear introduction to the complexities of contemporary European Union foreign policy, and offers a fresh and distinctive perspective on the nature of the European Union's international identity. Opening with a discussion of the EU's evolution as an international actor, the book goes on to explore how and why the EU pursues five core foreign policy objectives, namely: the encouragement of regional cooperation; the advancement...
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European Union Foreign Policy in a Changing World provides a clear introduction to the complexities of contemporary European Union foreign policy, and offers a fresh and distinctive perspective on the nature of the European Union's international identity. Opening with a discussion of the EU's evolution as an international actor, the book goes on to explore how and why the EU pursues five core foreign policy objectives, namely: the encouragement of regional cooperation; the advancement of human rights; the promotion of democracy and good governance; the prevention of violent conflicts; and the fight against international crime. By analysing the various means the EU has used to achieve these objectives, Karen Smith considers the extent to which the EU has pursued these goals consistently. She concludes with an assessment of the uniqueness of the EU as a global actor and the effectiveness of its foreign policy, by comparing its activities with those of other international actors pursuing similar objectives. This well-written and thoroughly researched textbook should appeal to undergraduate and postgraduate students of European politics, British politics, foreign policy studies, international relations and related disciplines