Public lecture “The Three Dilemmas of European Defence” 

📍 Lossi 36-306 and online

The lecture is in English.

Anyone interested is welcome to attend!

In the current geopolitical climate, there is widespread consensus that Europe must acquire more military autonomy, which is often linked to demands for the further development of EU defence capacities. In this talk, I highlight three dilemmas that this argument is faced with but which are often ignored in the public debate: A normative dilemma, which points to the tension between the EU as a military actor and the ethics of European integration as a transformation of territorial sovereignty; an institutional dilemma, which rests on the necessity to build more effective organisational structures and the historical set-up of EU institutions; and a political dilemma, which addresses the discrepancy between the demand for more autonomy to counter right-wing populism and autocracies while neglecting the rise of these very same tendencies within many EU member states. I argue on this basis that the EU is the wrong vehicle for the further build-up of European defence; that a first step towards autonomy would be the effective use of existing opportunities for military cooperation; and that an important aspect of deterrence is a shared understanding of "Europe". 

The lecture will be given by professor Thomas Diez, University of Tübingen (Germany). He is a Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Tübingen. He has published widely, including on topics such as International Relations theory, European and EU Studies, as well as conflict studies. He is best known for his contributions to the debate on EU’s normative power. 

The lecture is moderated by Associate Professor of European Studies Stefano Braghiroli, Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies.

Zoom details: Meeting ID: 963 3039 3418, Passcode: 180749

In case of questions, please contact Kristel Vits (kristel.vits@ut.ee), Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies.

Estonian Doctoral School for Social Sciences.