A ‘critical’ juncture analysis of Dutch attitudes on Western Balkan enlargement: europeanist framing notions shift the discourse post-postfunctionalism : master's thesis

Haas, Tom de (author), Lovec, Marko (mentor)

This study illuminates how the Russian full-scale invasion functions as a critical juncture and affects pre-existing Dutch views on Western Balkans enlargement. This done through a content analysis of notions framed in four manifestos and ten parliamentary debates. Public opinion polls and studies give insight in the Dutch public opinion. Dutch political parties have become more ‘soft’ eurosceptic in tone mainly through their contribution in the politicization of the enlargement process. The ‘geopolitical argument’ sparks parliamentary debates on EU enlargement, however for the public the topic of enlargement is marked with ambiguity. By all Dutch accounts it is not a salient issue. Western Balkans in specific are distant and only intermittently part of a broader discourse. Public opinion is uninformed and thus susceptible to fluctuate. Nonetheless, the Dutch largely support accession when all criteria are met. Before that, further and more politicization of the accession process is expected. Eurosceptics by acccentuating the ‘strict’ aspect and hence the credibility of the process compete with the europeanists by innovatively shifting the discursive foci toward post-postfunctionalism.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Western Balkans, enlargement, critical juncture, post-postfunctionalism, notions
• Work type: Master's thesis/paper
• Typology: 2.09 - Master's Thesis
• Organization: FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
• Place of publishing: Ljubljana
• Publisher: T. de Haas
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: 1 spletni vir (1 datoteka PDF (71 str.))
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-160628
• UDC: 323(492)(043.2)
• COBISS.SI-ID: 209202691
• Publication date in RUL: 01.09.2024

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Analiza „kritične“ točke nizozemskega odnosa do širitve na Zahodni Balkan: evropeistični okvirni pojmi spreminjajo diskurz post-postfunkcionalizma

Abstract

Pričujoča študija prikaže kako ruska invazija (Ukrajine) služi kot kritična točka in kako vpliva na predhodno obstoječe nizozemske poglede na širitev na Zahodni Balkan. Študija bo analizirala vsebino pojmovanj, uokvirjenih v štirih manifestih in desetih parlamentarnih debatah. Javnomnenjske ankete in študije podajajo vpogled v nizozemsko javno mnenje. Nizozemske politične stranke so postale 'mehko' evroskeptične v tonu sporočanja, največ preko njihovega prispevka politizaciji širitvenega procesa. ''Geopolitični argument'' je spodbudil parlamentarne debate o širitvi EU, medtem ko je za javnost tema širitve zavita v dvoumnost. Nizozemski viri pravijo, da širitev ni aktualna tema. Specifično Zahodni Balkan je oddaljen in le delno vezan na širši diskurz. Javno mnenje je slabo obveščeno in zato podvrženo nihanjem. Ne glede na to, Nizozemci povečini podpirajo širitev, ko so izpolnjeni vsi kriteriji. Pred tem pa je za pričakovati nadaljnjo in večjo politizacije širitvenega procesa. Skozi poudarjanje strogega vidika in kredibilnosti širitvenega procesa evroskeptiki tekmujejo z evropeisti, s pomočjo inovativnega premika žarišč diskurza proti post-postfunkcionalizmu.

• Keywords: Zahodni Balkan, širitev, kritična točka, post-postfunkcionalizem, pojmovanje