Eastern Promises: Poland's Role as a Regional Actor in the European Union's Eastern Policy-- the Example of Belarus

The present thesis will analyze Poland's current and potential role as an effective regional actor in mediating the European Union's (EU) relations with its easternmost neighbors. In order to most accurately assess this, this thesis will examine Poland's relationship with Belarus, specifically democratization efforts and forging a strong, resolute association with the European Union. Being a successful post-communist transition state and recent EU Member State, Poland has for some time seen itself to be the most-qualified country to bridge Eastern and Western Europe. Belarus in particular is a country of concern for the Polish government because it is a bordering country with a long historical relationship to Poland and contains an ethnic Polish minority. This thesis will discuss and evaluate the previous and current initiatives the European Union and Poland are taking in Belarus, their level of success, and will postulate who would be poised to be the most efficacious (external) player in the country's progress towards democratic consolidation and good governance. By using the example of Belarus this thesis will also expand the current literature on the ability of Member States (particularly newer ones) to influence policymaking in Brussels.

Name thesis:degree_name

MA

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

History

Year dc:date.available

2012

Author dc:creator

• Reinke, Max David

Contributors dc:contributor

• Robert Blobaum.
• Joshua Arthurs
• Elizabeth Fones-Wolf

• International relations
• European history
• East European studies

Identifier

https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/731

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:researchrepository.wvu.edu:etd-1734