European security has entered a particularly delicate phase. Russia's revisionist foreign policy along the eastern flank, the rise of China as a military power, and the gradual disengagement of the United States, coupled with increasing demands for a more balanced burden-sharing within NATO, are placing significant pressure on Europe to redefine its role in the global security landscape. These developments require European countries to strengthen their commitment to defence while pursuing a more autonomous security strategy. At the same time, the challenges facing European security stem not only from external pressures but also from internal political dynamics. While the intensification of strategic competition would appear to encourage greater cooperation among European countries in defence policy coordination and military procurement, public and elite support for deeper integration within the European Union—and, consequently, for common initiatives in the field of security and defence—has become increasingly contested.
Against this background, the panel aims to investigate the dynamics and implications of European security and defence policy at both the national and EU levels. On the one hand, it seeks to explore how the interaction between international pressures and domestic political factors shapes European defence and security policies. For instance, the panel aims to deepen our understanding of how external threats stimulate changes in policy decisions and how domestic actors, including public opinion, policymakers, and bureaucracies, can constrain these responses. On the other hand, it examines how evolving European security and defence strategies affect Europe's relations with allies, partners, and rivals, as well as its broader role in the international system. More specifically, the panel aims to foster the debate on European military presence in other regions of the world and on the relationship between the EU and other international organizations involved in global security, including NATO and the United Nations.
The panel welcomes contributions addressing these and related questions from a variety of theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches. We encourage submissions employing different units of analysis, including individual countries, comparative perspectives, and EU institutions.
