Normative Power Europe in a Changing World: A Discussion

A series of adjectives have been introduced to characterize Europe's distinct global role and relevance, among which Ian Manners' notion of normative power has drawn most attention.

From its inception in the early 2000s, the notion of normative power has raised substantial interest and debate among scholars and policy-makers. The discussion on 'Normative Power Europe' feeds into wider debates on the 'nature' of the EU as an international actor and on the relevance of norms, perceptions and 'roles' in international relations.

This Clingendael Paper discusses the relevance of 'Normative Power Europe' in the context of changing world politics. Does normative power answer the specific challenges that the current shifts in global power present to Europe? How do 'others', beyond the European Union, perceive Europe's normative power? Will normative power deliver the transformative outcomes that its academic and political protagonists expect it to deliver?