Abstract
Abstract. This article argues for a fresh approach to debates on democratic backsliding and European Union (EU) influence in East Central Europe (ECE), drawing on the discursive institutionalism of Vivien Schmidt. Underlying assumptions about backsliding in CEE largely reflect a set of ideas derived from the rational institutionalist and historical institutionalist schools. Moreover, the same theoretical assumptions were previously deployed to explain the apparent success of democratization and EU leverage in CEE. A discursive institutionalism perspective, stressing the role of actors and their discourses in making and unmaking institutions, suggests that democracy in CEE was always less secure than assumed. It also highlights the key role of liberal mainstream parties in embodying democratic institutions. Case studies of the liberal centre-right in Bulgaria and social democrats in the Czech Republic highlight the way background ideas of ethnically exclusive titular states have increasingly impinged on foreground ideas of liberal pluralism.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 710-728 |
Number of pages | 19 |
Journal | Journal of Common Market Studies |
Volume | 57 |
Issue number | 4 |
Early online date | 15 Mar 2019 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jul 2019 |
Bibliographical note
This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Dawson, J & Hanley, S 2019, 'Foreground liberalism, background nationalism: A discursive-institutionalist account of EU leverage and ‘democratic backsliding’ in East-Central Europe', Journal of Common Market Studies, vol. 57, no. 4, pp. 710-728., which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/jcms.12845. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.Keywords
- East-Central Europe
- Eastern Europe
- democratic backsliding
- democratic leverage
- discursive institutionalism
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Business and International Management
- Business, Management and Accounting(all)
- Economics and Econometrics
- Political Science and International Relations
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James Dawson
- Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations - Associate
- School of Humanities - Lecturer in Politics
Person: Teaching and Research