Daniel Silander

Problems in paradise? Challenges to future democratization in democratic states

What are the challenges to future democratization in states regarded as democratic? This study shows that some states that are traditionally regarded as democratic consist of political institutions in need of further democratization. On average, states that are classified as democratic have one or two institutional dimensions in need of further democratization. The main institutional dimensions in need of democratization are functions of government, rule of law, personal autonomy and individual rights. In order to investigate challenges to future democratization, the study presents a methodology that uses Freedom House Index and Polity Index in a new innovative way.

Democracy and Security in the EU’s Eastern Neighborhood? Assessing the ENP in Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine

ABSTRACT This article explores the European Union’s (EU) democratic and security objectives in the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) toward three post-Soviet states: Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. By discussing the ENP’s objectives, this study concludes the following: first, despite long-term ENP democracy promotion, there have been very limited democratic developments in the partner states between 2005 and 2014; second, security challenges remain in partner states in the breakaway regions in Transnistria in Moldova, Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Georgia, and Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk in Ukraine. Therefore, EU’s Kantian view of security through democracy has failed, and its ambition to create a ring of Eastern friends has not led to improved relations in the Eastern neighborhood. On the contrary, the EU’s push eastward has instead intensified insecurity in its partner states due to limited democratization.

R2P–Principle and Practice? The UNSC on Libya

This article explores the international politics regarding Muammar Muhammad Gaddafis regime and the civil war in Libya in a context of liberalization and democratization of the Arab Spring. The study presents the varying positions taken by the five permanent member states of the UN Security Council, and their levels of adherence to the spirit of Responsible to Protect (R2P). The analysis explores the content of Resolutions 1970 and 1973, and statements made by external parties before, during, and after those resolutions were enacted. It is argued that although R2P has been proclaimed to be a core principle for human security, the Libyan crisis shows much discrepancy and confusion by the international community regarding how that principle should be applied to enduring dictatorial regimes.

Democratization without enlargement? The European Neighbourhood Policy on post-communist transitions

This article explores the concept of normative power in Europe by assessing the democratic impact of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) in Eastern Europe. By focusing on democratization as a normative objective of the ENP, the authors argued that the European Union (EU) should not be assumed to be a normative power in international politics. It is argued that the EU vision of creating a ring of friends through the ENP has failed. Although the number of EU member states has significantly increased, and the Western European norms and values have become consolidated in most of Europe, Europe remains divided between EU member states and the others. The democratic decline in Russia, the conflict in Georgia in 2008, and the growing authoritarianism in Belarus and Ukraine have had negative effects on the notion of a whole, free, and democratized Europe.

Protecting and Promoting Europe : The ENP and the Security-Democracy Nexus in Partner States?

In the early 2000s, the European Union (EU) enlarged eastward into postcommunist territory. This was a successful foreign policy strategy to protect and promote European norms and values. In 2004, the EU decided on a new European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) toward neighboring states. The ENP aimed to create a ring of friends. This article assesses the ENP on democratization in eastern and southern partner states, 16 partner states altogether, in 2004–2014. It is argued that, despite the ENP effort to protect Europe by promoting democratic norms and values, the EUs borders are under heavy pressure from authoritarianism and political instability.

State-Building and Democracy: Prosperity Representation and Security in Kosovo

Abstract The traditional assumption of the state sovereignty norm has been that an international society of states will structure the international order to safeguard the interests of the state. The end of the Cold War era transformed international relations and led to a discussion on how states interacted with their populations. From the early 1990s, research on international relations, war and peace, and security studies identified the growing problem of failing states. Such states are increasingly unable to implement the core functions that define the sovereignty norms. This article explores the state-building process of Kosovo with a focus on the political road taken from independence in February 2008 to the challenges Kosovo faces today. Kosovo still has substantial issues to address regarding core state functions in the development of prosperity, popular representation and security.

Introduction: the political entrepreneur for regional growth and entrepreneurial diversity

Using social science and economics perspectives, the goal of this study is to complement the dominant business administration research on entrepreneurship by increasing our knowledge about the economic-political context in which entrepreneurship and private enterprise are conducted. This book explores the role of political entrepreneurs for regional growth and entrepreneurial diversity in Sweden. We define a political entrepreneur as a politician/bureaucrat/officer/department within the publicly funded sector who with innovative approaches encourages entrepreneurship/business and where the goals are growth, employment and the common good. The approach of this book is to enrich the established research on entrepreneurship with in-depth knowledge of the conditions for entrepreneurship in Sweden. The main focus of study is the role that the political entrepreneur might play in promoting entrepreneurship, enterprise and entrepreneurial diversity in the Swedish economy.

Political entrepreneurship: final remarks

This book has explored the role of political entrepreneurship in promoting growth, entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial diversity in Sweden. The different chapters have contributed to a greater understanding of one or more themes of the book: (1) political entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship; (2) political entrepreneurship and regional growth; and (3) political entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial diversity. Although several chapters referred to Nordic, European and European Union (EU) conditions, the analytical focus was on Sweden, with the book providing several case and comparative illustrations on Swedish political entrepreneurship in regional and local settings. By exploring political entrepreneurship in Sweden, we believe that this book has contributed to broader insights on favourable and unfavourable conditions for entrepreneurship that transcends Swedish borders.

The political entrepreneur

The political entrepreneur is to be found in the public sector. However, the public entrepreneur not only acts in relation to other public actors, but also in relation to the business sector with entrepreneurs. To discuss and understand who is the political entrepreneur is therefore to explore the relationships and networks between the public sector and the business sector, the entrepreneurs involved and how the political entrepreneur must act to promote favourable conditions for entrepreneurs. In times of global economic competition, economic recession and transformation of the urban and rural economic landscapes, it is important from local and regional perspectives to have political entrepreneurs that seek new opportunities for growth. This is done by changing traditional norms and values of who the entrepreneur might be and how entrepreneurship is to be conducted. It is about identifying windows of opportunities and exploring new formal and informal favourable conditions for existing and potential entrepreneurs.

The Challenges of Information and Communication Technologies for Transnational Efforts at Homeland Security Education

The dawn of the 21st century brought with it recognition of the challenge presented by terrorism. To address this challenge, there has been an invigoration of national and multinational security efforts. The academic communities across the Atlantic have taken notice of the need for research and instruction in a Homeland Security (HS) based curriculum. U.S. universities have largely developed entire HS academic programs, but this has not been replicated in the European Union (EU). This article analyzes aspects of HS education provision in the United States and EU and examines the impact of new information and communication technologies upon HS programs.