This book examines how, within foreign policy, perceptions are a reflection of an actor's conception of status, credibility and legitimacy assigned to the Self and the Others. Perceptions of the Self and Other and their roles in international relations are also informed by images of superiority, intent and affinity. Perceptions may change over time and under the impact of dramatic events. Chapters explore the perceptions of both sides of EU-Ukraine relations, and propose a new set of concepts to highlight internal and external role incongruences, including: perception gaps, expectations-performance gaps and hope-performance gaps. A differentiation between cognitive, emotive and normative elements of images helps to explain role conflicts. The book further offers a comparison of EU self-images and Ukrainian expectations and perceptions in four areas of external actions of the EU: as an international leader and global and regional power, a partner for Ukraine, a peace mediator and a public diplomacy actor. Scholars and students of international relations, European politics, and EU foreign policy will find this book a useful resource. It will also benefit those studying political communication, as the book considers conceptual metaphor theory in its application to the studies of images and perceptions in international relations and communication about complex political events and actors.

This volume brings together contributions that conceptualize and measure EU perceptions in the strategic regions around the world in the aftermath of the UK referendum. Contributors assess the evolution of EU perceptions in each location and discuss how their findings may contribute to crafting foreign policy options for the "new EU-27". Brexit is very likely to have a substantial bearing on EU external policy, not merely because of the loss of a major member state with a special relationship to the US and the Commonwealth, but also because it challenges the integrational success story that the EU strives to embody. This book thus serves a dual purpose: on the one hand it broadens the recent studies on Brexit by focusing on external partners' reactions, and on the other it allows for an innovative evaluation of policy options for EU foreign policy. Based on a solid theoretical foundation and empirically rich data, it constitutes an innovative and timely addition to the evolving debate on Brexit and its consequences. This book will be of key interest to scholars and students of European politics, Brexit, British politics, EU politics, comparative politics and international relations.

This book explores the images and perceptions of the EU in the eyes of their Strategic Partners. Spanning four continents, these ten important global actors - the BRICS together with the USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea and Mexico - are of profound significance to the EU in economics, politics, security and global governance. In 2015, the volume's editors and contributors were commissioned by the European External Action Service to research these countries' perceptions towards the EU. The research highlights how in changing multilateral settings, images and perceptions significantly influence the behaviour and foreign policy choices of actors. The findings presented in this book helped to inform the content and focus of the 2016 EU Global Strategy, and will be of interest to scholars, students and practitioners of EU foreign policy, European integration and public diplomacy.

This volume brings together contributions that conceptualize and measure EU perceptions in the strategic regions around the world in the aftermath of the UK referendum. Contributors assess the evolution of EU perceptions in each location and discuss how their findings may contribute to crafting foreign policy options for the "new EU-27". Brexit is very likely to have a substantial bearing on EU external policy, not merely because of the loss of a major member state with a special relationship to the US and the Commonwealth, but also because it challenges the integrational success story that the EU strives to embody. This book thus serves a dual purpose: on the one hand it broadens the recent studies on Brexit by focusing on external partners' reactions, and on the other it allows for an innovative evaluation of policy options for EU foreign policy. Based on a solid theoretical foundation and empirically rich data, it constitutes an innovative and timely addition to the evolving debate on Brexit and its consequences. This book will be of key interest to scholars and students of European politics, Brexit, British politics, EU politics, comparative politics and international relations.

This interdisciplinary work presents a conceptual framework and brings together constructivist and rationalist accounts of how EU norms are adopted, adapted, resisted or rejected. These chapters provide empirical cases and critical analysis of a rich variety of norm-takers from EU member states, European and non-European states, including the rejection of EU norms in Russia and Africa as well as adaptation of EU practices in Australia and New Zealand. Chapters on China, ASEAN and the Czech Republic demonstrate resistance to EU norm export. This volume probes differences in willingness to adopt or adapt norms between various actors in the recipient state and explores such questions as: How do norm-takers perceive of the EU and its norms? Is there a 'normative fit' between EU norms and the local normative context? Similarly, how do EU norms impact recipients' interests and institutional arrangements? First, the authors map EU norm export strategies and approaches as they affect norm-takers. Second, the chapters recognize that norm adoption, adaption, resistance or rejection is a product of interaction and a relationship in which interdependence, asymmetry and power play a role. Third, we see that domestic circumstances within norm-takers condition the reception of norms. This book's focus on norm-takers highlights the reflexive nature of norm diffusion and that nature has implications for the EU itself as a norm exporter. Anyone with an interest in the research agenda on norm diffusion, normative power and the EU's normative dialogue with the world will find this book highly valuable, including scholars, policy makers and students of subjects including political science, European studies, international relations and international and EU law.

A central problem for the European Union is said to be that of the "politics of identity." Within this, the concept of the EU s international identity requires exploration in terms of how it is both constructed and represented globally.

To address this issue, this book identifies measures and compares public awareness and perceptions of the EU within the Asia-Pacific region. It deals with the under-researched issue of the public perception of the EU outside the Union and the role of the media in shaping such perceptions. It builds on what has been described as the EU s communication deficit, a phenomenon which has typically been explored as an internal EU dynamic but has yet to be applied to the EU s external relations.

The volume presents findings from a systematic research project designed to measure the EU s external communication deficit and to raise the level of its awareness in other regions through three perception levels:

• The study of EU images in news mass media production
• A survey of general public perceptions and attitudes on the EU
• A survey of the elite perceptions of the EU.

Drawing on research from New Zealand, Australia, South Korea and Thailand, this book will be of interest to students and researchers of politics, communication studies, European studies and Asian studies.

Asia and Europe have become increasingly interconnected over the last few decades; this growth in mutual interest is due largely to their economic, political, cultural, and historical ties to one another. Due to the deepening relationship between the two regions, it seems natural to ask, "How is the European Union perceived in Asia?" This question has become very relevant to Asia-Europe relations, especially as the EU is the most significant economic partner for many Asian countries, while at the same time emerging as an increasingly prominent political and security dialogue partner for the region. This second volume offers a new and reliable insight into the perception of the EU in Asia.In 2006, the Asia-Europe Foundation and National Centre for Research on Europe (University of Canterbury) created the European Studies in Asia (ESiA) Network and initiated the "EU through the Eyes of Asia" survey. This unprecedented comparative study looks at the attitudes and citizens' perceptions of the EU in Asia, and, by 2009, has been undertaken in 12 research sites throughout Asia. In each locality, the project systematically assessed daily representations of the EU in reputable local news media, as well as the EU's imagery among the general public and the EU's vision among the national stakeholders and opinion leaders.Presenting the findings of this project, this book provides a systematic and detailed empirical insight into EU visibility in the public discourses of three Southeast Asian countries - Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines - the so-called "VIP". The data and analyses in this work cover 2008 and the first half of 2009, and it compares the findings with those published in Volume I, which examined the perceptions of the EU in China, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand. EU through the Eyes of Asia is indispensable to policy-makers and opinion leaders in the Asian and European milieux, putting forward vital recommendations to the EU, Asian governments, the media and those managing relations between the two regions.

A central problem for the European Union is said to be that of the "politics of identity". Within this, the concept of the EU's international identity requires exploration in terms of how it is both constructed and represented globally. To address this issue, this book identifies measures and compares public awareness and perceptions of the EU within the Asia-Pacific region. It deals with the under-researched issue of the public perception of the EU outside the Union and the role of the media in shaping such perceptions. It builds on what has been described as the EU's 'communication deficit', a phenomenon which has typically been explored as an internal EU dynamic but has yet to be applied to the EU's external relations. The volume presents findings from a systematic research project designed to measure the EU's external 'communication deficit' and to raise the level of its awareness in other regions through three perception levels: The study of EU images in news mass media production A survey of general public perceptions and attitudes on the EU A survey of the elite perceptions of the EU. Drawing on research from New Zealand, Australia, South Korea and Thailand, this book will be of interest to students and researchers of politics, communication studies, European studies and Asian studies.

This interdisciplinary work presents a conceptual framework and brings together constructivist and rationalist accounts of how EU norms are adopted, adapted, resisted or rejected. These chapters provide empirical cases and critical analysis of a rich variety of norm-takers from EU member states, European and non-European states, including the rejection of EU norms in Russia and Africa as well as adaptation of EU practices in Australia and New Zealand. Chapters on China, ASEAN and the Czech Republic demonstrate resistance to EU norm export. This volume probes differences in willingness to adopt or adapt norms between various actors in the recipient state and explores such questions as: How do norm-takers perceive of the EU and its norms? Is there a ‘normative fit’ between EU norms and the local normative context? Similarly, how do EU norms impact recipients’ interests and institutional arrangements? First, the authors map EU norm export strategies and approaches as they affect norm-takers. Second, the chapters recognize that norm adoption, adaption, resistance or rejection is a product of interaction and a relationship in which interdependence, asymmetry and power play a role. Third, we see that domestic circumstances within norm-takers condition the reception of norms. This book’s focus on norm-takers highlights the reflexive nature of norm diffusion and that nature has implications for the EU itself as a norm exporter.  Anyone with an interest in the research agenda on norm diffusion, normative power and the EU’s normative dialogue with the world will find this book highly valuable, including scholars, policy makers and students of subjects including political science, European studies, international relations and international and EU law.

This book explores the images and perceptions of the EU in the eyes of their Strategic Partners. Spanning four continents, these ten important global actors - the BRICS together with the USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea and Mexico - are of profound significance to the EU in economics, politics, security and global governance. In 2015, the volume's editors and contributors were commissioned by the European External Action Service to research these countries' perceptions towards the EU. The research highlights how in changing multilateral settings, images and perceptions significantly influence the behaviour and foreign policy choices of actors. The findings presented in this book helped to inform the content and focus of the 2016 EU Global Strategy, and will be of interest to scholars, students and practitioners of EU foreign policy, European integration and public diplomacy.

Is the EU able and prepared to deal with emerging Asia? Is an increasingly affluent Asia willing to engage with economically challenged Europe? This engaging volume presents the latest empirically informed comparative insight into how key Asian players imagine and perceive the EU before and after the Lisbon Treaty - as well before and after the outbreak of the Euro debt crisis. The result is a comprehensive overview of how these two continents engage and interact.