Democratic Transformations in Eastern Europe: The Efficacy of Norm Diffusion Strategies of the EU and NATO

摘要

In the process of international socialization, states are induced to adopt the constitutive norms and rules of the international community. This thesis examines the process of norm transfer by International Organizations (IOs), specifically the European Union (EU) and NATO. Generally, international norms are diffused through IO enlargement or, as an alternative, through the partnership between the organization and non-member states. The ultimate success of the socialization process depends on the strategies, mechanisms, and tools that are used by each socializing agent. The effectiveness of IOs' norms diffusion in dealing with partners is greater when the organizations apply differentiated, multi-staged socialization strategies that imply various levels of conditionality and offer powerful incentives that encourage domestic transformation. The general goal of the thesis is to assess the effectiveness of the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) and the Partnership for Peace Program (PfP) as two substitute mechanisms of enlargement through which the EU and NATO diffuse their norms to states that aspire to cooperation, affiliation, or full membership. Particular attention in the present study will be paid to the ENP and PfP's impact on two East European countries: Moldova and Ukraine. The results show that, despite all positive achievements and results to date, the European Neighborhood Policy as a norm diffusion mechanism is less effective than the Partnership for Peace Program, and it could be improved by more actively applying the PfP's experience. The thesis contributes to the assessment of the impact of EU and NATO policies towards their East European neighbors who currently do not have the immediate perspective of full membership.