Archive 1/2009

Abstract

Although today national interest is a concept often deemed too old-fashioned for any relevant study of foreign policy or international relations, it is surprising how deeply embedded it is in practical political discourse. The aim of this article is therefore to recast the concept so as to make it a useful theoretical instrument again, hence renewing the conceptual link between the academic and practical discourses on the subject. The argument is divided into five steps: First, we will explain the realist account of national interest and its two major features – essentialism and its non-normative nature. Second, we will dedicate some attention to the critics of the realist approach. Third, we will try to demonstrate that both sides of this debate have committed a fundamental error in considering national interest as a descriptive category. By pointing to the concept’s historical evolution, we will show that national interest should be primarily understood as a normative concept. In the last two steps, we will couple the debate on interest to discussions in theories of democracy and set three criteria which must be met for interest to be considered legitimate.

Key words

national interest, theory of international relations, normative theory, theories of democracy

Abstract

The article deals with the relationship between EU Council Presidency and governmental stability. After reviewing the character of governments assuming EU Council Presidency since the Treaty on European Union has been adopted, the article explores the possible impact of the EU Council Presidency on governmental stability and governmental duration. The article argues that the EU Council Presidency does not have to be executed by a majority government, and that the EU Council Presidency exerts a stabilizing effect.

Key words

EU Council Presidency, governmental stability, minority government, majority government

Abstract

The article seeks to describe and interpret recent trends within the Swedish party system. The point of departure for analysis is twofold: (1) to describe past development of patterns of cooperation and conflict among Swedish political parties, (2) an examination of P. Mair’s concepts on the structure of party system competition and party system change, which are applied to the Swedish case. Special attention is given to the process of formation of the right-wing as well as the left-wing blocs. The aim of the article is to explain why and under what circumstances these blocs emerged, considering the fact that these blocs were at times almost invisible, at times only slightly salient. Moreover, party cooperation often took place across bloc lines. This analysis of past trends serves as a basis for understanding up-to-date developments within the right-wing bloc and particularly left-wing parties, which – for the first time in the Swedish party politics history – have recently declared their intention to form an election alliance and even a government coalition after the 2010 parliamentary elections. The article also discusses the question of whether these trends might lead to a specific version of the two-party system.

Key words

party system, Sweden, multipartism, bipartism, competition, coalitions

Abstract

The article represents a contribution to discussions about the basis, motives, and goals of European integration stimulated by the recent “normative turn” in EU studies. My aim is threefold: By addressing the issue of internal legitimacy in EU decision-making, I wish to show that the European Union is in need of a public “story” of European integration; however, a closer analysis suggests that there is much normative disagreement on the values and principles that are supposed to define such “Europeanness”. This is also relevant for Europe’s role within the scene of international or global politics, where the EU aspires to become a leading actor or is supposed to do so by cosmopolitan-minded authors. Lastly, the text defends the usefulness of the traditional conceptual apparatus of political theory, which has – in relation to European integration – in recent times come under attack.

Key words

European integration, European identity, normative turn in EU studies, legitimacy, common values, affective dimension of citizenship, cosmopolitanism, European foreign policy

Abstract

David Armstrong, Theo Farrell a Hélene Lambert (eds.). 2007. International Law and International Relations, New York: Cambridge University Press, 318 pages.

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Jan Eichler. 2007. Terorismus a války na počátku 20. století, Praha: Karolinum, 330 pages.

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Lukáš Valeš. 2007. Zrod demokratických politických systémů okresů Klatovy, Domažlice a Tachov a jejich vývoj v 90. letech 20. století, Plzeň: Vydavatelství a nakladatelství Aleš Čeněk, 287 pages.

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Oldřich Bureš. 2008. United Nations Peacekeeping: Bridging the Capabilities-expectations Gap, Saarbrücken: VDM Verlag, 196 pages.

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