brexit and ir theory

Like relations, identities are hence subject to change as they are a product of historical processes and interaction, and shaped by cultural, political, and material circumstances (Fierke, 2016, p. 165).Thus identities of communities are constructed through the unification of a common perception of culture, history, politics and are often linked to certain community symbols.

VAT Registration No: 842417633. Brexit and Constructivism; Trump’s withdrawal from The Paris Agreement and Operational Code Analysis ‘In practice, theory is unavoidable’ – Joseph Nye . Only a few on the fringe of the US political right think a Brexit would be a sound idea for the UK, USA, EU and transatlantic relations. Historical events in international politics like the fall of the Berlin Wall, the end of the Soviet Union and the continuing existence of NATO, could not be sufficiently explained by the two mainstream IR theories. This European identity isn’t uniform but an addition to the member-states’ national identity, hence the extent of the European integration can also be seen in terms of “the Europeanization of the national identity” varying regionally (Nielsen, 2019, p. 19). If (neo)functionalism represents IR liberalism in the European Integration debate, (liberal) intergovernmentalism certainly constitutes its realist counterpart. However, through integrating sociological and philosophical aspects into the analysis Constructivism could promote a greater understanding and thus became increasingly influential in the mid-1990s (Owens, et al., 2017, p. 5). As the normative international structure regulates and influences the actors’ behavior, the Lisbon Treaty provides the main normative basis for Brexit with constitutive rules, constructing the possible actions after formally filing for Brexit on March 29, 2017, but in addition the domestic regulations of the decision-making process in the British parliament influenced the Brexit negotiation period, in order to legitimize the deal.With the vote for the Brexit deal in the British parliament, the Brexit proceedings entered a new phase, with Great Britain leaving the EU on January 31,2020 another round of UK -EU negotiations focusing on the post-Brexit relations will begin. I will build my argument by first analyzing Brexit through a liberal lens and outline how potential threats to trade challenge key ideas in liberalism. As another Brexit deadline passes without a deal being reached – though, thankfully, also without anyone being found dead in a ditch – it is worth reflecting on just what has been undermining these ill-fated negotiations. If you need assistance with writing your essay, our professional essay writing service is here to help! The two entities are thus caught in a position where neither side is backing down.

A central factor for Brexit can be therefore seen in the divergence of the perceived British national identity and a consciously constructed European identity through the unification of the imagined community by creating a collective history, culture and central concepts. The referendum, as the starting point for Brexit can be understood as a result of the British national identity, a product of the UK’s geography and history, which was perceived as incompatible with a growing European identity. This page aims to promote discussions on how theories of International Relations can be used to explain current affairs around the world. To apply Constructivism to the empirical case of Brexit, a mostly state-level analysis of national British identity and collective European identity linked to a divergence of interests, legitimacy considerations and norm-following behavior is required.Due to Constructivism’s social ontology and focus on the actor-agency structure the constitution and role of identity in international relations is a central concept for the theory.

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The chapter examines the historical context that shaped the UK’s decision to join the EEC and its subsequent relationship with the EU.

Constructivism takes issue with realist and liberal assumptions about anarchy and the international system. In a simplified way , a constructivist approach would point to the role of ideas as paramount in shaping how a Brexit …

I will build my argument by first analyzing Brexit through a liberal lens and outline how potential threats to trade challenge key ideas in liberalism.

As Condoleezza Rice, former Bush Administration Secretary of State and National Security Advisor, recently told In his Chatham House speech David Cameron argued that the prosperity and security of the rest of Europe are vital for Britain.

In doing so he came close to the often overlooked question of what Brexit would mean for Europe. In this paper, I will argue that the case of Brexit is important to international relations theory since the repercussions of a no-deal Brexit will affect relations between Britain and other European states. Lastly, I will combine both my findings and propose solutions for Brexit from both a liberal and constructivist perspective. Problems encountered within the first round of negotiations due to an internally divided British point of view, are likely to further influence the UK, as no perspective on the extent of Brexit is sufficiently legitimized. Any & Smith, S., 2017. “It is complicated”. To apply this theory, an overview of Constructivism’s intellectual, meta-theoretical background and a brief analysis of the aforementioned concepts is necessary to understand the Brexit related issues: the British identity and national interest in contrast to the idea of a European identity, the internal legitimacy dispute in the British parliament during the Brexit deal negotiations and the … This work can be used for background reading and research, but should not be cited as an expert source or used in place of scholarly articles/books. Die Gespräche über das Danach sind festgefahren. Since joining the EU, Britain has struggled greatly in creating new trade deals for its goods. To find out more about cookies and change your preferences, visit our