Logic of (In)appropriateness? The Problems of Constructivism in the Analysis of European Union Enlargement
Logic of (In)appropriateness? The problems of constructivism in the analysis of European Union
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5752/P.2317-773X.2019v7.n2.p7-20Keywords:
Enlargement of the European Union, Social Constructivism, European integration, Conditionalities, Logic of AppropriationAbstract
Many constructivists in the field of European Integration treat the process of EU enlargement employing the logic of appropriateness as a theoretical framework, in opposition to the logic of consequences. The former is based on a constructivist ontology which asserts that norms play an important role in determining actors` behavior. By its turn, the latter is associated to a rationalist ontology, in which actors have pre-determined identities that are by no means constituted by the context in which they interact. When states from East Europe started the process of accession, they were expected to adequate their behavior to the norms that confer identity to the EU. The problem is that the logic of appropriateness presupposes the existence of an institutionalized set of norms that can be contrasted to non-members actions so that they can be evaluated as appropriate or inappropriate to join the EU. It also implies that old members must follow what they prescribe as conditions to the acceptance of future members. A brief analysis of the policies toward minority rights demonstrates that these two conditions were not satisfied during the enlargement process. The paper presents theoretical and political motives for this inconsistency, and argues that the constructivist model is inappropriate.
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