KOSNORTH · THE EUROPEAN UNION AND ITS NORMATIVE POWER IN A POST-CONFLICT SOCIETY: A CASE STUDY OF NORTHERN KOSOVO

THE EUROPEAN UNION AND ITS NORMATIVE POWER IN A POST-CONFLICT SOCIETY: A CASE STUDY OF NORTHERN KOSOVO

This project studied the role of normative power of the EU in the post-conflict society (the north of Kosovo) and explored how has the signing of the Brussels agreement changed the dynamics of relations at both intra-societal (within the community of Serbs of northern Kosovo) and inter-ethnic level (Serbs of northern Kosovo vs. Kosovo Albanians and the institutions of the Kosovo government). The objectives of the project were: 1. exploring the motivation and driving factors of Kosovo Serbs for their positive/negative stance regarding the signature of the Brussels agreement and the cooperation/no cooperation with the institutions of the Government of Kosovo and Kosovo Albanians in general; 2. assessing the intra-societal split within the Serb community in the north of Kosovo between those who have been cooperating with the institutions of the Government of Kosovo and Kosovo Albanians in general, and those who have still been rejecting any kind of cooperation, and also, how has the intra-societal conflict (pressure) manifested; 3. evaluating the impact of normative power of the EU in the north of Kosovo; 4. assessing the changes in the patterns of relations between Serbs from the north of Kosovo and Kosovo Albanians on political, institutional and societal level after the signing of the Brussels agreement; 5. drawing policy implications for the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy. This research project built on three theoretical backgrounds: 1) theory of normative power, 2) ‘theories’ of peacebuilding, conflict prevention and conflict resolution, 3) theory of intra-societal conflict. The following research methods have been applied: interviews, focus groups (field-work in Kosovo), and study of primary and secondary sources. From theoretical viewpoint, this project was innovative, as it critically examined the impact of EU’s normative power in this post-conflict society. This project was relevant because certain policy implications (recommendations) for the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy were made.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз