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 |
|---|---|
| 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 |
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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
Cite this
Foreground liberalism, background nationalism : A discursive-institutionalist account of EU leverage and ‘democratic backsliding’ in East-Central Europe. / Dawson, James; Hanley, Seán.
In: Journal of Common Market Studies, Vol. 57, No. 4, 01.07.2019, p. 710-728.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Foreground liberalism, background nationalism
T2 - A discursive-institutionalist account of EU leverage and ‘democratic backsliding’ in East-Central Europe
AU - Dawson, James
AU - Hanley, Seán
PY - 2019/7/1
Y1 - 2019/7/1
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - East-Central Europe
KW - Eastern Europe
KW - democratic backsliding
KW - democratic leverage
KW - discursive institutionalism
U2 - 10.1111/jcms.12845
DO - 10.1111/jcms.12845
M3 - Article
VL - 57
SP - 710
EP - 728
JO - Journal of Common Market Studies
JF - Journal of Common Market Studies
SN - 0021-9886
IS - 4
ER -