Study title

The main aims of this research are 1) engagement with theoretical debates, 2) data collection and 3) advancement of research methods: The research engages with theoretical debates about EU democracy promotion efforts in the Middle East. To date, most research has been directed toward understanding the EU's normative foundations for exporting democracy. Given the apparent lack of a strong commitment to democracy in the Middle East, it is of critical importance to understand the substance of what is 'normative' about the EU's democratization policy for this region. The research comprises textual analysis of EU documentation on democracy promotion from the 1990s to 2006 supplemented by interviews in Brussels with EU officials from the European Parliament, Commission and Council. The PI's reading of the EU will be presented to societal actors in two case studies in the Middle East: Egypt and Palestine, through workshops. The research includes documentation analysis, interviews and workshops using discourse analysis to read, interpret texts and pose questions surrounding these texts. The use of discourse analysis is emerging as an important methodological tool in international relations theory and the project enables the PI to advance her research skills that will be useful well beyond the duration of this project.