INTERESTS AND NORMS IN EU’S POLICY TOWARDS PAKISTAN AFTER 9/11

Abstract

The European Union is generally conceptualized as a civilian and normative/ethical power which exudes ‘soft power’ rather than coercion. As a ‘normative power’ it is defined as a politico-legal arrangement, which characterizes a hybrid polity. According to rationalists, EU’s external policy results from a series of rational choices made by the national governments, especially stronger ones, guided by the “logic of consequences.” On the other hand, constructivists see EU’s external behaviour as shaped by the ‘socially constructed’ ideas and norms, guided by the “logic of appropriateness”. However, Discursive Institutionalism (DI) represents reconciliation between the two schools of thoughts.

Although after 9/11 the EU prioritized its security interests in its relations with Pakistan, it did not lose interest in the promotion of norms. This paper discusses the importance of interests and norms in the EU’s external policy particularly towards Pakistan within the framework of Discursive Institutionalism.