Publications

ENC Analysis

Perceptions of Elites on the European Union and Europeanization: The Belgian Case

The European Neighborhood Council (ENC) released its new analysis on “Perceptions of Elites on the European Union and Europeanization: The Belgian Case.”

The article is written by Asuman Kubra Bas, ENC Project Manager and Researcher and Prof. Thomas Jacobs, Professor at UCLouvain Saint-Louis Bruxelles and ENC Academic Council Member.

Belgium’s strong pro-European stance shapes its political and media debates, yet is far from being monolithic. Beyond the surface, key debates around migration, security, and economic solidarity reveal how Belgian elites interpret, negotiate, and contest European identity and values. This ENC analysis, drawing on interviews with actors from Belgium’s political and media spheres conducted MEDIATIZED EU – Mediatized Discourses on Europeanization and Their Representations in Public Perceptions Project*, demonstrates how Europe serves as a unifying yet contested idea, shaping public discourse and sparking new debates.

The full analysis is available here.

* The project was concluded in 2024 with the support from European Union’s H2020 Research and Innovation programme under grant agreement no 101004534 – Mediatized EU – H2020 – SC6 – Transformations – 2020.

 Central Asia’s Battle with Water Scarcity: Government and International Interventions

The European Neighborhood Council (ENC) released its new analysis on “Central Asia’s Battle with Water Scarcity: Government and International Interventions“.

The article is authored by Bruce Pannier, a longtime journalist, ENC External Advisor, and Central Asia Fellow in Eurasia Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute.

The full paper is available here.

 Russia-Ukraine War and Geopolitical Competition in the Black Sea Region

The European Neighborhood Council (ENC) released its new analysis on “Russia-Ukraine War and Geopolitical Competition in the Black Sea Region.”

The article is co-authored by Dr. Nika Chitadze (ENC Academic Council Member and Professor of the International Black Sea University, Tbilisi, Georgia), Dr. Victoria Vdovychenko (Associate Professor and Program Director of the Center for Defence Strategies) and Dr. Natalia Albu (Associate Professor of the Alexandru cel Bun Military Academy of Armed Forces of Republic of Moldova).

The full paper is available here.

Soft Power Lessons from Russia’s War: How to Overcome Polarisation and Strengthen Liberal Democracy

The European Neighborhood Council (ENC) released its new analysis titled “Soft Power Lessons from Russia’s War: How to Overcome Polarisation and Strengthen Liberal Democracy.”

The article is written by Dr. Leila Alieva, ENC Academic Council Member and an affiliate of Russian and East European Studies, Oxford University School for Global Arena Studies.

The international community has mainly focused on military actions in response to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. However, the war has revealed important insights that go beyond the battlefield, showing major weaknesses in soft power strategies. In fact, the war in Ukraine increased political and geographic divisions, highlighted the harmful effects of exclusion, shown that societies’ abilities to reform, and exposed the domination of neopatriarchy in contemporary politics. In this ENC Analysis, Dr. Leila Alieva discusses how addressing these issues through inclusive approaches can mitigate polarization and contribute to a more resilient and unified international order.

The full paper is available here.

EU Counter-Terrorism Efforts & MENA Violent Extremism: Did the EU Help MENA Countries Enhance their Security?

The European Neighborhood Council (ENC) released its new analysis on “EU Counter-Terrorism Efforts & MENA Violent Extremism: Did the EU Help MENA Countries Enhance their Security?”

The article is written by Dr. Ebtisam Hussein, ENC Academic Council Member and Associate Professor of Political Science at Cairo University.

In recent years, there has been a significant transformation in the landscape of terrorism within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Once known for being a focal point of militant Islamist groups and their activities, the region is now witnessing a decline in terrorism incidents. One contributing factor to this decline is the proactive approach taken by the European Union to counter terrorism in the region. In this ENC Analysis, Dr. Hussein elaborates on how the EU has effectively contributed to inhibiting militant Islamist activities by implementing measures that make it more challenging for militants to exploit the internet, while also initiating collaborative projects aimed at coordinating efforts with MENA countries to combat violent extremism effectively.

The full paper is available here.

ENC Analysis – International Relations amidst Disasters: Turkish-Greek Perceptions and Emotion Discourses in 1999 and 2023 Earthquakes

The European Neighborhood Council (ENC) released its new analysis on “Turkish-Greek Perceptions and Emotion Discourses in 1999 and 2023 Earthquakes”.

The article is written by Dr. Özlem Kayhan Pusane, Professor at the Department of International Relations at Işık University, and Dr. Aslı Ilgıt, ENC Academic Council Member and Professor at the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Cukurova University.

The concept of disaster diplomacy sheds light on how natural disasters can influence international relations. One of the examples studied in disaster diplomacy scholarship, the 1999 earthquakes in Turkey and Greece, sparked diplomatic engagement between the two nations, highlighting the growing recognition of disasters’ role in shaping global diplomacy. In this ENC analysis, the authors delve into the crucial role of emotions in shaping international relations post-disaster, focusing on Greek-Turkish relations in both the earthquakes of 1999 and 2023.

The full paper is available here.

ENC Analysis – Film Festivals and Cities: A View for south-eastern Europe

The European Neighborhood Council (ENC) released its new analysis on “Film Festivals and Cities: A View for south-eastern Europe.”

The article is written by Dr. Eleni Sideri, ENC Academic Council Member and Assistant Professor at the Department of Balkan, Slavic & Oriental Studies of the University of Macedonia.

The paper examines the growth of the creative economy in the urban context and analyses how film festivals in the European periphery, in southeastern Europe, played a role in the transformation of three cities, Thessaloniki, Sarajevo, and Tbilisi, into regional film centers.

The full paper is available here.

ENC Analysis – Global Gateway and Investors Forum: What it means for Central Asia and geo-economics?

The European Neighborhood Council (ENC) released a new analysis titled “Global Gateway and Investors Forum: What it means for Central Asia and geo-economics?”

This article is written by our managing director Samuel Doveri Vesterbye.

In this ENC analysis, Mr. Vesterbye looks at Global Gateway, the EU’s largest infrastructure and foreign investment initiative, and what to expect from next week’s Investors Forum and its importance for Central Asia. He also examines the existing Global Gateway projects and explains why the initiative should be assessed within a geoeconomic context, given the current global issues.

The full analysis is available here.

Understanding Russia’s Central Asia Policy

The European Neighborhood Council (ENC) released a new analysis on Russia’s Central Asia policy.

This article is written by our Academic Council Member Dr. Aijan Sharshenova who is the Executive Director at Crossroads Central Asia and a research fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre in London.

This analysis delves deep into the dynamics of Russia’s policies in the Central Asian region, providing valuable insights into key trends and strategic considerations. Dr. Sharshenova examines the evolving nature of Russia’s approach toward Central Asia, taking into account significant geopolitical shifts, economic strategies, and security dynamics.

The full analysis is available here.