Changing EU Policies in Times of War: How Increasing EU Acceptance Affects European Identities in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine?

Descripción del proyecto

Identidades cambiantes en los confines de Europa

Georgia, Moldavia y Ucrania se han enfrentado a divisiones internas por abrazar un futuro europeo y aferrarse a otras identidades marcadas por la historia y la influencia rusa. Este tira y afloja complica su progreso democrático y sus esperanzas de adhesión a la Unión Europea (UE). Sin embargo, la guerra en curso en Ucrania ha acelerado el impulso de la UE para remodelar su política hacia estos países, concediéndoles finalmente el estado de países candidatos. El equipo del proyecto EUROIDE, que cuenta con el apoyo de las Acciones Marie Skłodowska-Curie, explora cómo la evolución de las políticas de la UE hacia este trío influye en sus debates identitarios nacionales. Al comprender estos cambios, EUROIDE aporta información nueva sobre lo que impulsa la aceptación de los valores europeos en una región atrapada entre dos mundos.

Objetivo

The Russian-Ukrainian war marked a turn in the EU`s policy towards its Eastern Partnership (EaP) members, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The EU has been gradually opening since 2014 and offered a candidate status in 2022 and 2023. Thus, currently the EU faces a challenge of modifying its EaP policy and deciding how these countries can be led to the membership. However, these countries’ move towards Europe, which is based on European self-identification, has been contested domestically by alternative identities, including those advocated by Russia. The lack of a single identity has been noted as a challenge to domestic consensus on democratisation, to the EU rule transfer and implementation and as an incitement for external intervention. But considering the leap in the EU and Russian policies, this context faces potential restructuring. While we know how the EU policies might affect rule adoption beyond its borders, the question of its influence on identity debates has yet to be addressed. The goal of EUROIDE is to understand whether and under what conditions increasing acceptance from the EU side in times of Russian aggression instigates change in identity contestation. This understanding will provide well-needed insights into domestic constellations in regard to accepting or resisting democratisation and Europeanisation processes in value terms. To achieve the research objective, I will conduct a longitudinal and comparative study of identity discourses in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine under changing EU approach since 2014. EUROIDE will be based on a strong interdisciplinary approach, bridging political and psychological theories and computer science, Natural Language Processing (NLP) methods to analyse identity discourses. To ensure the successful implementation of the project, leading scholars in the studies of Europeanisation and the post-Soviet region will supervise me. EUROIDE will strengthen my academic profile towards advanced funding and a tenured position.