In this insightful interview, Professor Knud Erik Jørgensen discusses the connections between EU foreign policy and international relations (IR) theories. He explains the theoretical foundations of EU multilateralism, the impact of reduced globalisation, and how crises in multilateralism are addressed through IR theory. The conversation also highlights the role of the European External Action Service, comparing value-based and interest-based approaches, and examines the EU’s strategic autonomy and its theoretical underpinnings. Finally, contemporary debates on strategic autonomy, EU approaches to international negotiations, and navigating ideological narratives in EU research are thoroughly analysed.
Join us for a comprehensive analysis of EU foreign policy through the lens of IR theories.
Content
- Theoretical Foundations of EU Foreign Policy
- EU Multilateralism in the Context of IR Theory
- Impact of Reduced Globalisation on EU Multilateralism
- Addressing Multilateralism Crises in the EU through IR Theory
- The Role of the European External Action Service: Value-Based vs Interest-Based Approaches
- Strategic Autonomy of the EU and its Theoretical Underpinnings
- Contemporary Debates on EU Strategic Autonomy
- EU Approaches to International Negotiations
- Navigating and Resisting Ideological Narratives in EU Research
Knud Erik Jørgensen
Knud Erik Jørgensen is Professor emeritus in International Relations at the Department of Political Science, Aarhus University. His research focuses on European foreign policy and international relations theory. Some of his recent research examines the European External Action Service and EU diplomacy in the context of new global realities. Additionally, his research interests include the theoretical traditions within the discipline of International Relations and the relationship between policy paradigms and the formulation of foreign policy.
Selected publications
Jørgensen, K. E. (2024). War and peace in European studies: A Zeitenwende? In C. Wiesner & M. Knodt (Eds.), The War Against Ukraine and the EU (pp. 45–62). Springer Nature Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-35040-5_3
Jørgensen, K. E., Knudsen, T. B., & Landorff, L. (2023). Paradigm shifts in the politics of EU foreign policy. 1-25. Paper presented at European Union in International Affairs (EUIA) Conference, Brussels, Belgium.
Jørgensen, K. E., & Ergul Jorgensen, F. A. (2021). Realist theories in search of realists: The failure in Europe to advance realist theory. International Relations, 35(1), 3–22. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047117820940355
Jørgensen, K. E. (2018). International relations theory: A new introduction (2nd edition). Macmillan Education, Palgrave.
