*** PASCAL BONIFACE: Comprendre le monde. Les relations internationales expliquées à tous. Armand Colin (11 rue Paul Bert, F-92240 Malakoff. Internet: http://www.dunod.com ). « Comprendre le monde » series. 2017, 304 pp. €19.90 (France), € 22.35 (Belgium). ISBN 978-2-200-61708-0.
This is now the fourth edition of this book. In it, Pascal Boniface provides proof that it is possible to tackle international relations in a simple language, “without jargon or reduction to a binary choice between good and evil between those who are right and wrong or between ‘us’ and ‘them’”. This specialist in geo-policy is also the director of the Institute of International and Strategic Relations and a lecturer at the Institute of European Studies at the University of Paris 8. In this study he reveals himself to be a master pedagogue. What impact does the external world have on our daily life? What is the balance of international forces at play before us? What are the major global challenges that need to be met and what threats are we facing? What are the battles of ideas going on at an international level? These are some of the questions the author attempts to respond to with reliable and specific answers but which are also understandable to the layman.
The first part of the book focuses on the international context and provides an insight into the impact and limitations of globalisation, major international players, international powers, global level institutions (United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, World Trade Organisation, G20, International Court of Justice) and, finally, what is actually hidden behind the name of the “international community”. He then goes on to tackle the question of the different “powers”, such as Europe (“power or area?”) and asks whether the US and Asia could become “the new centre of the world”, the fact that Russia is back, Latin America in an era when it is developing “democratic roots”, Africa, which has finally entered the era of globalisation and the Arab world, which is still torn between “crises and conflicts”. In the third part of the book, he dissects global challenges such as global warming, demographics and migration, international economic imbalances and international security. This panorama is characterised by nuclear weapons and mass destruction and a situation that oscillates between “proliferation and deterrence”. Finally, the last part of the book focuses on the “debate on values” in light of three themes: has democracy triumphed? Sovereignty and interference and the moral dimension of Realpolitik.
In the context of this edition of the European library pages, it is impossible not to spend some time on the pages it devotes to the theme of Europe. We can observe, first and foremost and contrary to many French intellectuals, the fact that Pascal Boniface is appealing that as part of European construction “one of the major phenomena of the 20th century” and “one of the most beautiful examples of the success of political voluntarism” there is a need that the different peoples who, “considered themselves as hereditary enemies launched themselves together in a process of construction that proves that history is not written in advance, that we can change it and that political voluntarism remains a decisive factor within it”. It would also be appropriate if our current leaders remembered this, particularly President Macron, who, indirectly, is called on not to commit the same mistakes as those committed by President de Gaulle and President Mitterrand when they sought to reinforce European strategic autonomy through a, “more Franco-French than Franco-European project, which helped to create a perception outside of Europe and within that it was attempting to replace US hegemony through French influence rather than develop a real European project”. The author also quite rightly recalls that particularly in the area of defence, Europe cannot be “France, Germany or the United Kingdom but the negotiated construction of a political whole”. What actually appears to be the case is unfortunately not always politically correct within the prevailing circles of power. Nonetheless, when he is looking at the question of the state of democracy, will Pascal Boniface, really get a hearing when he suggests that there is perhaps, “a risk of seeing citizenship watered down in the market and where the weight of money and/or the lobbies is beginning to dominate”? Michel Theys
*** IOANNIS MAZIS : Analyse métathéorique des relations internationales et de la géopolitique. Le cadre du néopositivisme. Editions Papazisi (2 rue Nikitara, GR-10678 Athens. Tel: (30-210) 3822496 – fax: 3809020 – Email: papazisi@otenet.gr – Internet: http://www.papazisi.gr ). 2015, 410 pp. €29.68. ISBN 978-960-02-3155-7.
This book by the geographer and lecturer at the University of Athens, Ioannis Mazis, constitutes a first attempt to establish a balance sheet of specific and essential points from an epistemological and meta-theoretical point of view of the so called “international theory” or rather “international theories” as their authors or their supporters arbitrarily call them. The question marks surrounding the terms “theory” and “theories” are used to prepare readers for the total disagreement the author has with regard to the different existing and competing approaches towards the developing international situation, whether these are positivist or neo-positivist and how they assume the title of a theory and claim to be an “autonomous science of international relations” with solid neo-positivist foundations from an epistemological point of view. His approach helps examine the teaching and research of international relations from a triple point of view a) in the context of teaching in the cognitive sector of “international relations”, “international policy” as well as the cognitive triangle of geography – geopolicy and geostrategy. This is because according to Professor Mazis, it is absolutely indispensable that the fundamentals of ontology, theory and scientific method are clarified to students from b) a point of view of the philosophy of science insofar as the author would like there to be professional recognition of an accurate calculation of the result of applying theory with what has previously been discussed but neither too early (precocious period) nor too late (late period) because it is a fact that the inappropriate application of a scientific theory, no matter how coherent it may be, can lead to socio-economic and political disaster. He considers that a good methodology in research involves identifying, demarcating and forecasting (if this is statistically possible) the distinction of this phase from radically different situations; c) with regard to the methodology of research, the book has been written as a means of making a contribution to the critical analysis of the different attempts made in applied methods that have contributed to the hypothesis of research. In this connection students are therefore invited to create new ways forward or at least improve existing choices but in the knowledge, however, that “international discourse on truth” will not be interpreted with any accuracy until these have in fact been created. (AKa)
*** LINDA WITTOR: Democracy as an International Obligation of States and Right of the People. Peter Lang (42-50 Eschborner Landstraße, D-60489 Frankfurt. Tel: (49-69) 780700 – fax: 78070550 – Email: frankfurt@peterlang.com – Internet: http://www.peterlang.com ). 2016, 281 pp. €57.90, £46, $75.95. ISBN 978-3-631-67446-8.
This book is the extension of a PhD thesis in law and is based on a major observation that democracy is at the same time a reality for some people but an aspiration for all the others in the four corners of the world. The author, however, was keen to clarify certain things by attempting to see whether is democracy defined in international law and if it plays a legal role, either by flagging up obligations for states or by moving in the direction of democracy and rights to democracy for peoples and individuals, as well as modifying the rules and international standards to this end. Over the course of the book, the author argues that democracy is neither a concrete universal obligation of states, nor a concrete right of the people(s), but that there are indeed regional laws in this regard and that a universal law on democracy is developing. In an effort to clarify whether an international law of democracy can play a role within the system of international law or whether it remains an empty promise in the end, the author examines how such law would challenge existing rules of international law, namely the prohibition of the use of force and of intervention. In her conclusion, Linda Wittor points out that international law has not created “ right to democracy similar to individual human rights or the right of self-determination”. On the other hand, despite the fact that the shift towards the democratization of the world is indeed a work in progress there are persisting disagreements on what democratic form and democratic process should be promoted before we are able to declare that victory has been won. (PBo)
*** Politica Exterior. Editions Estudios de Politica Exterior (49 Nuñez de Balboa, E–28001 Madrid. Tel: (34-91) 4312628 – fax: 5777252 – Email: revista@politicaexterior.com – Internet: http://www.politicaexterior.com ). March/April 2017, 176 p. €13.
This issue of the quality Spanish journal contains articles about the United States of Donald Trump, particularly in light of the stronger institutions exerting restrictions on his action, in addition to the country’s relationship with Mexico. It is, however, the European Union that is the main subject and in this connection we have editorial with the eloquent title, “Has the European Project Fallen Through? This question acts as an introduction to a very complicated dossier an comes at the time of the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome. Professor Bichara Khader points out, in this regard, that the logic of solidarity and integration that originally prevailed has given way to demands for sovereignty and the expression of discontent. Other contributions turn out to be a little more optimistic and the political scientist Almut Möller, emphasises, for example, Germany’s determination to protect the Union, while Spanish diplomat, Jorge Dezcallar, goes as far as presenting Brexit as “an opportunity for Europe”... Other contributions focus on subjects such as, “the decisive era for European defence” that currently exists today. (MT)
*** ANAHIT BABAYAN: Armenia on the Horizon of Europe. Successes and Shortcomings of Democratization Efforts by European Organizations in a Post-Soviet State. Peter Lang (42-50 Eschborner Landstraße, D-60489 Frankfurt. Tel: (49-69) 780700 – fax: 78070550 – Email: frankfurt@peterlang.com – Internet: http://www.peterlang.com ). Societies and States in Transformation series, No. 21. 2015, 199 pp. €42, £34, $54.95. ISBN 978-3-631-66035-5.
This book is an extension of a PhD thesis at the University of Leipzig. It seeks to provide a critical analysis of the results obtained by European organisations and the European Union by way of the neighbourhood policy, the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe for encouraging democracy in the Republic of Armenia. Anahit Babayan has made a particular effort to verify to what extent the reforms and recommendations they put forward once Armenia was independent have been accepted and have been put into practice. Due to certain areas of overlapping action by the three organisations, this was not a total success because a number of negative effects have also been highlighted. The evaluation is brought to a close at the end of 2013, just before Armenia joins the Eurasian Customs Union and has consequently not fallen under the zone of influence exerted by Moscow. This evolution, however, does not bring into question at all the hypothesis contained in the initial work undertaken by the author, that, “for Armenia, no process of European integration can be undertaken with out a balance being found that takes into account its dependency on Russia, on the one hand and its shift towards the West, on the other”. (PBo)
*** MICHALIS CHAROKOPOS: Dimensions internationales des politiques de l'Union européenne pour le gaz naturel et les transports aériens. Les institutions, les intérêts et les idées. Editions Papazisi (2 rue Nikitara, GR-10678 Athens. Tel: (30-210) 3822496 – fax : 3809020 – Email: papazisi@otenet.gr – Internet: http://www.papazisi.gr ). 2015, 426 pp. €23.43. ISBN 978-960-02-3015-4.
The European Union’s external action is now often the subject of theoretical analysis and empirical studies that seek to evaluate the image of the Union in the outside world and determine the results it has obtained at an international level. It turns out, however, that the conclusions drawn at the end of any research undertaken, no matter how appropriate they are, do not take the process for shaping Union policy into account enough in the different areas of external action. The study is based on the principle that this shortcoming must be rectified by ensuring that the specificities of each region and/or field of external action is taken into account. Professor Michalis Charokopos (Polytechnic School of Athens) demonstrates for, example, which direction to follow by assessing the external action of the Union in the gas and aviation transport fields by gauging its performance for elaborating policies based on concrete results, particularly with regard to its impact on the external environment. (AKa)
*** Südosteuropa Mitteilungen. Südosteuropa-Gesellschaft (49 Widenmayerstrasse, D-80538 Munich. Tel: (49-89) 212154-0 – fax: 2289469 – Email: info@sogde.org – Internet: http://www.sogde.org ). 2017, 114 pp. €12. €60 Annual subscription.
This edition of Südosteuropa Mitteilungen focuses on how Victor Orbán’s power grab is being operated in Hungary. Gregor Mayer explains that his control is based on a “complete capture of the state apparatus and its institutions”, his domination of the media and the oligarchs whose good fortune depends entirely on him. The author considers that there is no real hope of his “reign” coming to an end with the general elections this spring. It also depends on the attitude adopted in Hungary during the refugee crisis. This is the theme upon which the other two authors focus and who believe that the decision taken by Orbán to reduce refugee policy to a simple question of security was an attempt to cosy up to voters. Another contribution drafted in German (as are all the others) focuses on “new forms of authoritarian governance”, which are also developing in Serbia, Macedonia and Turkey. Vedran Dzihic asks whether and to what extent this phenomenon can be linked to the slow pace in which the European Union is opening its doors to these countries. (MT)