Workshop on international solidarity and EU external action

Researchers examined EU solidarity in foreign policy amid war, crises and growing geopolitical competition in Innsbruck.

As part of the Joint Sessions of Workshops organized by the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) (April 7–10, Innsbruck), PD Dr. habil. Julian Bergmann co-led an authors’ workshop on “International Solidarity and EU Foreign Policy in Times of War and Geopolitical Competition” together with Prof Dr Patrick Müller (University of Vienna/Diplomatic Academy Vienna). The main aim of the event was to discuss different theoretical perspectives on the concept of solidarity and to empirically examine the relationship between international solidarity, conflicts, and crises in the EU’s foreign policy discourse and actions. Individual papers addressed issues of solidarity and geopolitics in various EU policy areas and thematic fields—for example, in humanitarian aid, development policy, EU-Africa relations, and the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy.

Fifteen researchers at various career stages participated in the workshop, including IDOS researchers PD Dr habil. Christine Hackenesch and Dr Benedikt Erforth. Following the workshop, the co-leads of the workshop plan a joint publication project in the form of a special issue of a leading international journal.