Europe in North Africa :

Timo Behr; Saskia van Genugten

doi:10.54945/jjia.v1i1.10

Authors

Timo Behr Finnish Institute of International Affairs, Helsinki
Saskia van Genugten John Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54945/jjia.v1i1.10

Keywords:

European Geopolitics, North Africa, Historical Development, Europe, European relations

Abstract

European geopolitics cast a long shadow in North Africa. Due to its political, economic and strategic interests in a ‘stable’ neighbourhood, Europe has for long discouraged a process of uncontrolled political change in North African countries. However, in the spring of 2011, mass demonstrations by Arab youths broke the prevailing deadlock in the region and swept away a number of long standing Arab dictators. The question that remains unanswered is to what extent the ‘Arab Spring’ will affect geo-political relations among Europeans and Europe’s standing as a whole in the global pecking order. Will Europe’s belated support for the Arab revolutions renew its geopolitical importance and international mission, or will it precipitate its interminable decline? In this article, this question is being scrutinised by looking at the historical development of European relations with North Africa and how Europe is trying to preserve some of its former influence despite domestic challenges and competition from new, non-Western actors.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

Author Biographies

Timo Behr, Finnish Institute of International Affairs, Helsinki

Timo Behr is a research fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA) in Helsinki, where he heads FIIA’s research project on “The Middle East in Transition.” He is also an associate fellow with Notre Europe in Paris and holds a PhD and MA in International Relations from the School of Advances International Studies of the Johns Hopkins University in Washington DC. His current research focuses on the EU’s neighbourhood and crisis management policies in the Middle East. His recent publications include an edited volume on The EU’s Options in a Changing Middle East (FIIA), as well as a number of articles on the Arab Spring and its impact on Europe.

Saskia van Genugten, John Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies

Saskia van Genugten is a PhD Candidate at John Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS, Washington DC/Bologna). Her research focuses in particular on European relations to Libya. She works for several international consultancies and is co-editor of the recently published book L’AfricaMediterranea: storia e futuro [Mediterranean Africa: Between History and Future], together with Karim Mezran and Silvia Colombo.