The paradoxical relationship between the EU and China
The EU has labelled China as ‘simultaneously a cooperation partner, a negotiation partner, an economic competitor and a systemic rival.’ How will the EU navigate its relations with the increasingly dominant China? It faces the challenge of balancing the desire for further economic cooperation and trade with the pressure to…
European Tug of War: The EU’s economic relations with the USA and China
A changing world order has affected the EU’s the economic relationship with the two powerhouses of the 21st century, the USA and China. This blogpost explores how. And argues that the EU is at the crossroads. Superpower or powerless? China’s rapid growth has challenged US hegemony and fuelled European fears…
Poland, Hungary, and LGBTQ rights: the responsibility and response of the European Union.
Poland and Hungary are on a mission to attack LGBTQ+ rights, earning outrage from the rest of the European community – even from member states who themselves are not particularly keen on reducing LGBTQ+ discrimination. In the meantime, the European Union struggles to develop an impactful response. The Polish and…
How to improve elections podcast series
The Electoral Integrity Project is an academic project co-hosted at the University of East Anglia. It has recently published a new pocast series on 'How to Improve Elections.' Episodes are available on Spotify, FM Player, Amazon, Podbean and other outlets.
Speech by Alex Burov during vigil for peace in Ukraine at UEA, 4 March, 2022
My name is Alex Burov. I was born in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv in 2000. I am a native Ukrainian speaker. My parents were directly affected by the rocket strikes in Kyiv and were forced to relocate away from the capital. I myself have experienced the Maidan protests of…
Violence Against Women: What needs to Change?
Incidents of violence against women increased during the pandemic, with the high-profile case of Sarah Everard leading many to protest on the streets. But most violence against women is carried out by someone known to them, so what can we do about it? Clare Precey and Prof Alan Finlayson discuss…
The Future of Work in a Post-Pandemic World
The pandemic is an opportunity to completely rethink the way we think about work. Covid-19 increased inequality in the workforce, as office-based workers relocated to their homes and key workers faced either a loss of income or risk to their own health by working face to face. So can we…
Constructing COVID-19 as a Crisis: Reflections on Narrative, Time and Politics
Lee Jarvis discusses his new article on COVID-19 and Political Language A few years ago – in fact, probably more than a few years now – I was halfway through a PhD thesis focusing on the discursive construction of the war on terror. I’d spent a long time reading through…
The Common Agricultural Policy Stands in the way of the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030
If the European Union is to be ambitious in pursuing its Green Deal it must dramatically reform the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) which is currently a major contributor to biodiversity loss in the EU. While the EU proudly advertises its “Farm to Fork” and Biodiversity strategies for 2030, the proposed…
An EU Army: Future or Falsehood?
A year after Emmanuel Macron proclaimed NATO was 'brain dead', recent significant developments in EU defence cooperation raise the question of whether an EU army is on the cards in the foreseeable future. Since its origins, European integration has been geared towards an 'ever-closer union'. A joint military seemingly appears…