Thomas Henökl

Associate Professor

Department of Political Science and Management

Email: thomas.henokl@uia.no
Phone: +47 38141742
Mobile phone: +4795016574

Office HU001 (Universitetsveien 25, 4630 Kristiansand, Norway)

Research groups

Areas of responsibility

Before coming to Norway in 2011, Thomas was working for the European Commission in Brussels (External Relations DG, later the European External Action Service, EEAS). In 2008, Thomas joined the Commission as Regional Security Advisor in DG External Relations, and later Security Policy Officer within the EEAS responsible for Asia and Africa (including a number of field visits to the regions). In this capacity, he was also in Cairo during the decisive moments of the ‘Arab Spring’ in January/February 2010 to report and to oversee the evacuation of European citizens.

Thomas has done research in the fields of international relations, European public policy and administration, on subjects such as the development of regional integration in Asia and inter-regional forums of cooperation, EU foreign and security policy or ethics and integrity management in the public sector. Recently, some of his work appeared in Journal of European Integration, European Foreign Affairs Review, and the Journal of Contemporary European Research. He was co-responsible of large-scale comparative studies on reforming public management in the EU member states and co-authored several studies on these subjects. At present, his work is bringing these two strands together in the study of Europe’s new external and diplomatic service, assessing the transformative impact on the EU central and the national administrative systems.

In April 2015, Thomas defended his PhD thesis, entitled “Inside the External Action Service: Unpacking the EU’s Foreign Policy Bureaucracy” at the University of Agder: http://www.uia.no/nyheter/disputas-nummer-100-har-eu-administrasjonen-som-tema

He holds Master’s degrees in Political Science from the Universities of Innsbruck (Austria), from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (Sciences-Po, Paris, MA European public policy), and a post-graduate degree from the International Christian University (ICU), Tokyo (MA Public administration and international organization). From 2002-2004, he was among the first students awarded the Rotary scholarship (http://rotary.de/panorama/global-gefragter-experte-a-6044.html) to study crisis management and conflict resolution, and was then writing on questions of East-Asian regional security and the perspective for the conflict on the Korean peninsula. During that period he was also working as an advisor in the Political and Economic Section of EU Delegation to Japan.

Research

Transnational Collaborative Governance Platforms

Generation PFN - post festum nati

Academic interests

Having done research in the field of international relations, and more precisely on the development of regional integration in Asia and inter-regional forums of cooperation, Thomas has worked on European public administration, notably on large-scale comparative studies on the evolution of the civil service systems in the EU member states. At present, his work is bringing these two strands together in the study of Europe’s new foreign policy bureaucracy, assessing the transformative impact on the EU central and the national administrative systems.

Recently, the focus of his research has been whether and how the establishment of a relatively independent EU foreign policy administration, bridging different branches of the EU executive (European Council, Council of Ministers and Commission) makes a critical case for the transformation of the European political order; in that it, first, represents a transfer of capacity for action in an area of core-state competences to the EU level, and, second, because it profoundly affects how foreign policy makers at different levels and institutional actors embedded in the various EU and global governance layers are bound and coupled together, and how power and resources are distributed among and between them.

At the German Development Institute in Bonn, Germany (https://www.die-gdi.de/en/thomas-henoekl/) Thomas is working on the organizational dimension of EU foreign policy and international cooperation.

Selected publications

See Google Scholar

General outreach

Politics

Organisation-Theory

Cognitive science

Epistemeology and syllogistics

Tuition

ST-100 (UiA)

ST-205

ST-400

ST-418

ST-502

SV-156

BMPA (NTNU)

EU Integration Summer School (UiA)

EU Diplomatic Training Path

Ethics in Public Service

Short biography

EU Commission

European External Action Service

European Institute of Public Administration

Henökl, Thomas (2023). Zeit des Erwachens EU Außenpolitik Ukraine Israel Wo bleibt die „Europäische Strategische Autonomie“? Der Freitag. ISSN 0945-2095.
Henökl, Thomas & Jakobsen, Tor Georg (2021). The rising fear of terrorism and the emergence of a European security governance space: citizen perceptions and EU counterterrorism cooperation. Journal of Contemporary European Studies. ISSN 1478-2804. p. 1–17. doi: 10.1080/14782804.2021.1958202. Full text in Research Archive
Henökl, Thomas (2020). An alternative reading of EU foreign policy administration. In Bigo, Didier; Dietz, Thomas; Fanoulis, Evangelos; Rosamond, Ben & Stivachtis, Yannis A. (Ed.), The Routledge Handbook of Critical European Studies. Routledge. ISSN 9781138589919. p. 523–537. doi: https:/www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780429491306-35/alternative-reading-eu-foreign-policy-administration-thomas-hen%C3%B6kl.
Schulz, Daniel Frederik & Henökl, Thomas (2020). New Alliances in Post-Brexit Europe: Does the New Hanseatic League Revive Nordic Political Cooperation? Politics and Governance. ISSN 2183-2463. doi: 10.17645/pag.v8i4.3359. Full text in Research Archive
Henökl, Thomas (2020). Changing Practices in European Foreign Policy. European Foreign Affairs Review. ISSN 1384-6299. 25(1), p. 99–116.
Henökl, Thomas (2019). Schicksalswahl 2.0 - Neue Chance für Österreich. Der Freitag. ISSN 0945-2095.
Henökl, Thomas & Webersik, Christian (2019). European and Chinese development cooperation in the context of ASEAN: Comparing the cases of Myanmar and Sri Lanka. In Marchi, Ludovica (Eds.), The European Union and Myanmar: Interactions via ASEAN. Routledge. ISSN 978-1138599178. p. 81–100. doi: 10.4324/9780429485886-6.
Furness, Mark; Henökl, Thomas & Schumacher, Tobias (2019). Crisis, coordination and coherence: European decision-making and the 2015 European Neighbourhood Policy Review. European Foreign Affairs Review. ISSN 1384-6299. 24(4), p. 447–468. doi: 10.54648/EERR2019037.
Henökl, Thomas (2018). The European Neighbourhood Policy and the CFSP/CSDP: From the European Security Strategy to the Global Strategy, The Routledge Handbook of the European Neighbourhood Policy. Routledge. ISSN 978-1-138-91372-1. p. 533–543. doi: 10.4324/9781315691244-46.
Henökl, Thomas & Reiterer, Michael (2018). China and the EU: Efforts of multilateral and regional governance in Asia. In Men, Jing & Linck, Annika (Ed.), China and EU - Reform and Governance. Routledge. ISSN 978-1-138-69030-1. p. 81–100.
Gänzle, Stefan & Henökl, Thomas (2018). From ‘Awkward Partner’ to ‘Awkward Partnership’? Explaining Norway’s Paradoxical Relations with the European Union. In Stegmann McCallion, Malin & Brianson, Alex (Ed.), Nordic States and European Integration : Awkward Partners in the North?. Palgrave Macmillan. ISSN 978-3-319-57561-2. p. 79–102. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-57562-9_5. Show summary
Norway is the only Nordic state to have rejected membership of the European Union four times. Applying the conceptual lens of ‘awkwardness’, as developed by Murray et al. (2014), it seems fair to consider the country as an awkward partner in the process of European integration. As a member of the European Economic Area (EEA), however, Norway has been tightly associated with the European Union ever since 1994, actively participating in a large number of EU policies and programs and effectively forging a close partnership that has in itself become increasingly ‘awkward’. This holds true despite the fact that successive Norwegian governments have recently started to embrace a generally more reserved attitude with regard to the EU, particularly in relation to the implementation of several EU directives. As a member of both Nordic and European cooperation, Norway aims at dissipating potential concerns for being perceived as awkward—despite the complexities created by its non-membership of the EU. We argue that Norwegian ‘awkwardness’ has resulted in an awkward’ relationship between Norway and the EU that is predominantly rooted in the domestic political sphere (relations between Norwegian political elites and the electorate, and among the political parties), although this has also been shaped by the EU’s incapacity to deal with a series of economic and political crises over the past few years.
Henökl, Thomas (2018). How Brexit affects EU External Action: the UK’s legacy in European international cooperation. Futures: The journal of policy, planning and futures studies. ISSN 0016-3287. 97, p. 63–72. doi: 10.1016/j.futures.2017.07.002.
Henökl, Thomas (2016). Comparing structure and organisation of development bureaucracies in Europe: a pilot study of European aid administrations. German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik Discussion Paper. ISSN 1860-0441. 1(27), p. 1–36.
Henökl, Thomas (2016). What place for Asia in the EU’s strategy on development cooperation? Which role for Europe in Asia? Any at all? In Gippner, Olivia (Eds.), Changing waters: towards a new EU Asia Strategy (LSE Ideas! Special Report). LSE, London School of Economics. p. 71–78. doi: http:/www.lse.ac.uk/IDEAS/publications/reports/pdf/Changing-Waters-LSE-IDEAS.pdf.
Henökl, Thomas (2016). Conflict and continuity in European diplomatic cultures: accountability, scrutiny and control in EU external affairs. International Relations and Diplomacy. ISSN 2328-2134. 4(5), p. 324–340. doi: 10.17265/2328-2134/2016.05.002.
Henökl, Thomas & Stemberger, Anton (2016). EU policies in the Arab World: update and critical assessment . European Foreign Affairs Review. ISSN 1384-6299. 21(2), p. 227–249.
Henökl, Thomas & Webersik, Christian (2016). Power Politics or Transnational Public Administration? Comparing European and Chinese Cooperation with Sri Lanka and Myanmar. Asia-Pacific Journal of EU Studies. ISSN 1598-8902. 14(1), p. 1–24.
Henökl, Thomas & Reiterer, Michael (2015). Orchestrating multilateralism: Cases of EU and east-asian inter-regional engagement. Regions and Cohesion. ISSN 2152-906X. 5(3), p. 83–108. doi: 10.3167/reco.2015.050306.
Henökl, Thomas & Trondal, Jarle (2015). Unveiling the anatomy of autonomy: dissecting actor-level independence in the European External Action Service. Journal of European Public Policy. ISSN 1350-1763. 22(10), p. 1426–1447. doi: 10.1080/13501763.2015.1020833.
Henökl, Thomas (2015). How do EU Foreign Policy-Makers Decide? Institutional Orientations within the European External Action Service. West European Politics. ISSN 0140-2382. 38(3), p. 679–708. doi: 10.1080/01402382.2014.1000652.
Henökl, Thomas (2014). The European external action service: Torn apart between several principals or acting as a smart 'double-agent'? A principal-agent analysis of the EU foreign policy bureaucracy. Journal of Contemporary European Research. ISSN 1815-347X. 10(4), p. 381–401. Show summary
The European External Action Service (EEAS) is a hybrid and compound institutional actor in the EU’s multi-level administration with delegated authority from the member states (MS) to conduct the EU’s external action. Substantial competences, notably in the field of Neighbourhood and Trade policies, as well as Development and Cooperation remain under the control of the European Commission (Commission). At the same time, also Members of the European Parliament (EP) are more clearly voicing their interests and ownership in the EU’s representation in the world. This article tests the notion of 'double-agent' – or in fact “triple-agent” – as a way of characterizing the position of the EEAS, and in particular of the EU Delegations (as the ‘EU field-level bureaucracies’) vis-à-vis the MS, the Commission and the EP, as an expression of complex and interrelated chains of delegation, where the EU ‘embassies‘ have to interact with and to answer to (but not in a clear line of delegation) different (sets of) principals, namely the MS, the Commission and the EP. Based on the findings from a series of elite interviews with 47 EEAS and Commission officials and on a survey among 184 EU diplomats, the paper seeks to examine this fuzzy principal-agent relationship and uses the review process of the EEAS as an opportunity to assess the level of autonomy of the new EU foreign policy apparatus.
Henökl, Thomas & Webersik, Christian (2014). The Impact of Institutional Change on Foreign Policy-Making: The Case of the EU Horn of Africa Strategy. European Foreign Affairs Review. ISSN 1384-6299. 19(4), p. 519–537.
Henökl, Thomas (2014). Conceptualizing the European Diplomatic Space: A Framework for Analysis of the European External Action Service. Journal of European Integration. ISSN 0703-6337. 36(5), p. 453–471. doi: 10.1080/07036337.2013.865731.

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Henökl, Thomas (2024). Christoph Thewalt, Serviervorschlag. Erasmus-Haus, Thomas Henökl. ISBN 978-3-200-09884-8. 208 p.
Marchi, Ludovica & Henökl, Thomas (2019). The European Union and ASEAN. Routledge. ISBN 9781138599178. 148 p.
Schumacher, Tobias & Henökl, Thomas (2018). The Routledge Handbook of the European Neighbourhood Policy. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-138-91372-1. 554 p.

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Henökl, Thomas (2024). STATT ENDSPIEL IM SCHACH DER ELITEN Bauern & Bürger gegen Eliten: Massive Proteste – Europa steht auf! Der Status. Show summary
Auslöser ist die akute und reelle Gefahr der Zerstörung der europäischen Landwirtschaft aufgrund einer fehlgeleiten Politik zur Umsetzung der Agenda 2030, die wiederum der Verwirklichung einer sektenähnlichen WEF-Ideologie aus Neo-Feudalismus und Klima-Totalitarismus dient.
Henökl, Thomas (2023). SINNLOSE(S) SCHLACHTEN Die EU zwischen Ukraine und Israel – höchste Zeit für einen Kurswechsel! Der Status. Show summary
Krieg in Ost-Nah-Ost. Die Europäische Außenpolitik sollte sich an Werten orientieren. Derzeit erscheint sie allerdings eher desorientiert und wertlos. Das hat mit der Weltlage zu tun, ist aber auch dem strategischen und moralischen Vakuum in westlichen Politikerköpfen geschuldet. Ein Gastbeitrag von Dr. Thomas E. Henökl, Ph.D., MMM.A. | Associate Professor of Public Policy and Administration Ernüchtert – wenn auch nicht überrascht – durch die Berichte von der Ostfront verfestigt sich der Eindruck, dass die EU, die im Übrigen nicht nur in dieser Frage zusehends an Rückhalt in der Bevölkerung verliert (siehe Slowakei, Österreich, Deutschland - und seit den Wahlen nun auch die Niederlande), mit ihrer Ukraine-Politik komplett auf dem Holzweg ist. Tatsächlich ist die derzeitige Linie des europäischen Kadavergehorsams den USA gegenüber, den Krieg gegen Russland bis zum bitteren Ende führen zu wollen, desaströs, vor allem, weil sie keine ehrliche Diskussion zulässt und keine Exit-Strategie vorzuweisen hat. Ähnliches gilt für Israels blutige Kampagne in Gaza und im Westjordanland. Realistisch betrachtet ist sowohl Russland als auch der Hamas militärisch nicht beizukommen, und der Preis gemessen in menschlichem Leid für diese Fehleinschätzungen ist himmelschreiend.
Henökl, Thomas (2023). Von der Leyens strategiske Vakuum. Klassekampen. ISSN 0805-3839. p. 20–20.
Henökl, Thomas (2022). The Quest for Stewardship in the Digital Age. EuropeNow Journal. Show summary
Digital Transformation is advancing, virtually at light speed, and has a series of repercussions on people’s lives and livelihoods. Disruptive innovation is causing turbulence and governance challenges are piling up. From a political science perspective, the author identifies the most burning issues and sketches out a research agenda for “stewardship in the digital age.”
Henökl, Thomas (2022). Generation PFN - Post Festum Nati.
Gänzle, Stefan & Henökl, Thomas (2022). Overcoming Difficulties: Managing Differentiation in the EU and other Regional Organization, 10-12.
Henökl, Thomas (2021). En nøktern valgvinner møter dårlige tapere. Fædrelandsvennen. ISSN 0805-3790.
Henökl, Thomas (2021). Europeisk Endringsvind? Klassekampen. ISSN 0805-3839.
Henökl, Thomas (2021). Basta, Basti. Österreichs Kanzlerkrise https://www.freitag.de/autoren/thomashenoekl/basta-basti. Der Freitag. ISSN 0945-2095.
Henökl, Thomas (2019). The Rising Fear of Terrorism and the Development of Judicial Cooperation in the EU .
Henökl, Thomas (2019). Wer hat die Zukunft Europas geraubt? . Der Freitag. ISSN 0945-2095.
Henökl, Thomas (2019). Wo geht's hier nach links? Europa's Sozialdemokratie in der Krise. Der Freitag. ISSN 0945-2095.
Henökl, Thomas (2019). Wir danken der FPÖ für die Selbstenttarnung. Die Presse.
Henökl, Thomas (2019). The elections of the European Parliament and Europe’s role in the world: In search of new coalitions for sustainable development. European Think Tanks Group (ETTG). Show summary
n the years ahead, the European Union faces a number of vital challenges, and many of those lie beyond its external borders. Swift and decisive action is required in the fight against global warming, promoting sustainable development, eradicating poverty, managing migration, defending human rights and democratic values as well as contributing to international security and crisis management. To deliver on these issues, the EU needs functioning institutions, capable to act and to cooperate among them as well as with Europe’s partners worldwide. The role of the European Parliament (EP) is central in this effort. After the vote-cast of 23-27 May 2019, a first assessment of the assembly’s re-composition produces an ambivalent pictu
Henökl, Thomas (2019). Elecciones en la UE: La erosión de las mayorías y la batalla por el futuro de Europa’, Otras miradas . Publico.
Henökl, Thomas (2019). Bryllupspolitikkens siste vals. Klassekampen. ISSN 0805-3839.
Henökl, Thomas (2019). NRK Nyhetslunsj, Regjeringskrise i Østerrike. [Radio]. NRK.
Henökl, Thomas (2019). Ein dänisches Modell für die Europäische Sozialdemokratie. Die Presse.
Henökl, Thomas (2019). Ny Sjanse for Østerrike. Klassekampen. ISSN 0805-3839. p. 22–23.
Henökl, Thomas (2018). Anxiety and the Contestation of the Liberal Order. CritCom. ISSN 2327-2791. 2018(19).
Henökl, Thomas (2016). ‘Alejada de la realidad’, Comment in: La Razón, Madrid, 06 August 2016 (in Spanish language. La Razon.
Henökl, Thomas (2016). Revision of the EU consensus on development: towards a new consensus for fair and sustainable global common good policies . German Development Institute/Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE) - Briefing Paper. 2016, p. 1–14.
Henökl, Thomas (2016). The future of the "European Consensus on Development". German Development Institute/Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE) - Briefing Paper. 2016(5), p. 1–4.
Henökl, Thomas (2016). Now What? European foreign and development policy after Brexit. German Development Institute / Deutsches Instititut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE) The Current Column.
Henökl, Thomas (2016). Das Unrechthaben in der Kultur; 'Debatten' . Der Standard.
Henökl, Thomas (2016). EU nach BREXIT-Votum - global engagiert oder letztes Gefecht. Blick von Außen. Tiroler Tageszeitung. p. 24–24. Show summary
Die Brexit Abstimmung für den Austritt Großbritanniens hat weitreichende Auswirkungen auf die Europäische Union. Der Beitrag beleuchtet, was er für Europas Rolle in der Welt und außenpolitische Vision, insbesondere für die neue EU Globalstrategie bedeutet.
Henökl, Thomas (2016). Transforming for Survival - Europe in the Face of Change. CritCom. ISSN 2327-2791.
Henökl, Thomas (2016). Delegation and goal ambiguity in the EU foreign affairs administration.
Henökl, Thomas (2016). Turmoil in the EU's Southern Neighbourhood – Complex Nexuses, Global Strategy and Limited Capacities.
Gänzle, Stefan & Henökl, Thomas (2016). An ‘Awkward Partner’ vis-à-vis European Integration? Explaining Norway’s paradoxical relations with the European Union (EU).
Henökl, Thomas (2016). Norway: an Awkward Partner of European Integration.
Henökl, Thomas (2015). ‘Un accord pour gérer les flux migratoires’, Interview, Deutsche Welle Radio, 13/11/2015. [Radio]. Deutsche Welle Radio.
Henökl, Thomas (2015). EU external action: A tale of two masters.
Henökl, Thomas & Webersik, Christian (2015). The European Union and China in a sustainable development goals framework: Comparing means and ends of regional development policies in Asia.
Henökl, Thomas (2015). Multilateral Regional Government: Comparing EU and China development policies in Asia’.
Henökl, Thomas (2015). ‘The EU and the Arab World: update and critical assessment’.
Henökl, Thomas (2015). Orchestrating Multilateralism: Cases of EU and East-Asian interregional engagement.
Henökl, Thomas (2015). Multilateral Regional Governance: Comparing EU and China Engagement in Asia. Show summary
Inter-regional orchestration is one possible strategy to shape global governance agendas, coordinate international norm setting and contribute to a multilateral global order. The European Union has been engaging in various international and inter-regional settings seeking cooperation with state and non-state actors striving for a multipolar and, to some extent post-Westphalian, system, based on democratic global governance structures and the rule of law among nations. Europe’s interests, it is frequently argued, are best served by a stable set of relations, allowing for political and economic cooperation, trade and mutual respect. At the same time, the EU may have a system-inherent bias for regional cooperation. In this respect, also the EU’s international development agenda has been focussing on fostering regional ties among its partner countries in diverse geographic areas, to ensure peace and stability and to encourage sustainable economic growth and prosperity, as the basis for multilateral cooperation and equitable international trade relations. With regard to Asia and the Pacific rim, as a focal point of heightened global attention, the EU maintains both bilateral and inter-regional dialogues to engage with its partners to orchestrate multilateralism and to contribute to a multipolar world order. By adopting a behavioural approach and analysing the mechanisms and instruments of EU-engagement in Asia, this paper contributes an organizational perspective on EU external governance and its multi-level foreign policy architecture to the geopolitical debates on EU engagement in Asian regional development.
Henökl, Thomas (2015). The EU foreign affairs bureaucracy and European policies towards China – effective means? to what ends?
Henökl, Thomas (2015). Political Accountability in the EU’s Foreign and Security Policy – How, by whom and for what can the EU’s High Representative on Foreign Affairs and the European External Action Service be held to Account?
Henökl, Thomas (2014). ‘‘Coming from the cold’: Does officials’ background matter in organizational behaviour?, paper prepared for the EEAS workshop at Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge, 23 June 2014, available at: http://www.uaces.org/documents/papers/1401/henokl.pdf.
Henökl, Thomas (2013). Inside the External Action Service: institutional change and the European political order.
Henökl, Thomas (2013). Den europeiske diplomatiske tjeneste: Diplomati eller byråkrati?
Henökl, Thomas & Webersik, Christian (2013). Linking Relief Rehabilitation and DevelopmentApproaches to a Joint Humanitarian-Development Framework in the EU's post-Lisbon institutional setting.
Henökl, Thomas (2013). The Creation of the European External Action Service and its Impact on the European Political Order.
Henökl, Thomas (2013). The European External Action Service – torn apart between multiple principals or smart ‘double-agent’? A principal-agent analysis of EU Delegations.
Henökl, Thomas; Demmke, Christoph; Blomeyer, Roland; Moilanen, Timo & Beke, Mike (2018). Conflicts of interest at any governance level in the management in EU structural fund programmes’. European Parliament, Policy Department D for Budgetary Affairs.
Henökl, Thomas (2015). Inside the External Action Service: 'Unpacking' the EU Foreign Policy Bureaucracy. Universitetet i Agder. ISSN 978-82-7117-787-4. Show summary
The doctoral thesis at hand represents the product of a four-year research project (2010-2014) on ‘The Establishment of the European External Action Service (EEAS) and its Impact on the Political Order in Europe’. The dissertation consists of an introductory chapter, outlining the general analytical framework, and four individual publications, which form the empirical chapters of the comprehensive study of the EU’s external affairs administration and the conclusions we can draw with regard to its potential impact on order transformation in Europe. Point of departure is the question whether and how the establishment of an encompassing EU foreign policy bureaucracy affects Europe’s political order, in that it adds a qualitatively new and different dimension to existing trends in European integration and EU public policy making, namely to the formation of a European administrative space and the consolidation of the executive centre at the EU level. The introduction summarizes the theoretical reflections, preceding and resulting from the ensuing empirical research on the new administration of the Union’s external relations, elaborated in the consecutive chapters. Inspired by the neo-institutionalist school of organizational research, this study provides an analysis of the EU foreign policy bureaucracy as a crucial contribution to the EU’s politico-administrative order and governance architecture, by weaving into a web of legal and functional lines of command and control transcending the member states, thus complementing the administrative infrastructures and the executive governance layers at the supra-national level. Accounting for these processes, the four chapters of this dissertation adopt different theoretical perspectives, elucidating the puzzles related to the emerging EU external action capacities, and contribute to exploring institutionalist theories and to applying their concepts. The lessons drawn with regard to the relevance and explanatory power of the different drivers of institutionalization of EU foreign policy, and to their predictive value for the transformation of political order in Europe are subsumed in the following: With the rise of common policy-making and implementation capacities in external relations, the prevailing institutional logics in Europe may have or are about to come under question – in, at least, three domains: First, the creation of the EEAS impinges on the institutional logics of European foreign policy, since it represents the introduction and amalgamation of more and new supra-national elements and dynamics into what has previously been a stronghold of intergovernmentalism; and it may be heralding the addition of a crucial element, namely of a foreign and security policy administration to the established and emerging EU governance architecture, and thereby the further consolidation of the polity. Second, the institutional logics of diplomacy in Europe may find itself challenged by the appearance of a new actor in a field dominated by state-centred traditions, an exceptional domain increasingly becoming subject to normalization and isomorphistic pressures. Such homogenization dynamics involving actors, finding themselves suddenly at the periphery (seen from the new European ‘diplomatic epicentre’, the EEAS), may give rise to the adoption of alternative action frameworks inspired by meaning systems, emerging at the interstice between various organizational fields and governance levels. Third, the arch-European institutional logics of the Westphalian inter-state order may further become pressurized and contradicted by an empowered foreign policy apparatus and new EU diplomatic practices, unfolding in a core-area of sovereignty; This thesis examines how national foreign policy-making prerogatives as well as the diplomatic system itself may become challenged with the additional politico-administrative endowments of the EU’s new foreign affairs administration.

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Published Apr. 16, 2024 11:01 AM