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Reversing the Gaze: Can the EU Import Democracy from Others?

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  • Kalypso Nicolaidis
  • Richard Youngs

Abstract

For over two decades, the EU has used a wide range of policy instruments to support democratic reform in third countries under the assumption that the rest of the world must learn from Europeans. This one‐way democracy policy is out of tune with the times as political malaise spreads within the EU and as global geopolitics calls for genuine decolonial mindsets. In this contribution, we ask what it would take for the EU to reverse the democratic gaze. We argue that the EU could do more to open itself to the democratic innovations unfolding around the world where reformers have long been grappling with anti‐democratic playbooks. We distinguish between three relevant realms, namely, that of power‐sharing arrangements, democratic backsliding and regional mechanisms. We hope to offer a significant tweak to decolonization analysis and a political, normative supplement to this Special Issue's concern with outside influences on the EU.

Suggested Citation

  • Kalypso Nicolaidis & Richard Youngs, 2023. "Reversing the Gaze: Can the EU Import Democracy from Others?," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(6), pages 1605-1621, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jcmkts:v:61:y:2023:i:6:p:1605-1621
    DOI: 10.1111/jcms.13477
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sarah Wolff & David Gazsi & Daniela Huber & Nora Fisher‐Onar, 2022. "How to Reflexively Decentre EU Foreign Policy: Dissonance and Contrapuntal Reconstruction in Migration, Religious and Neighbourhood Governance," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(6), pages 1611-1628, November.
    2. Kalypso Nicolaïdis & Robert Howse, 2002. "‘This is my EUtopia ...’: Narrative as Power," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(4), pages 767-792, November.
    3. Ueli Staeger, 2016. "Africa–EU Relations and Normative Power Europe: A Decolonial Pan‐African Critique," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(4), pages 981-998, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kalypso Nicolaidis, 2024. "The Third Democratic Transformation: From European to Planetary Politics," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(3), pages 845-867, May.

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