Temporality, Role Theory and Czech Foreign Policy

1. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-1-138-08668-5
Verlag: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Buch, Englisch, 176 Seiten, Format (B × H): 152 mm x 229 mm

Reihe: Role Theory and International Relations

The domestic political scene in the Czech Republic is rife with competing attitudes towards the European Union. On the one hand, the Czech Republic and her political class pledge allegiance to European values and culture while others question the direction and impact European integration has had. As such, the Czech Republic is sometimes described as an "awkward newcomer", suggesting that the Czech EU policy is often seen as a confusing and incomprehensible mix of pro-European attitudes and Euroscepticism.

Using Symbolic Interaction Theory, George Herbert Mead’s Theory of Time, and the poststructuralist conceptualization of self-other relationship, Vít Beneš provides an original three-dimensional model of national role conception to analyze Czech political and intellectual elite. Beneš does so by examining key political debates including: the entry into the European Union and the 2003 referendum, debate about the adoption of the Lisbon treaty, Eurozone financial and economic crisis and the recent migration crisis. He later compares the Czech Republic’s national conception as a new member country, with national role conceptions of Russia (a neighbouring state) and Turkey (a candidate country).

Temporality, Role Theory and Czech Foreign Policy sheds light on the change and continuity of the Czech EU policy and how role theory can provide a conceptual toolbox that can be utilized in constructivist foreign policy analysis.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Benes, Vit

Beneš, Vít

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. Role Theory as a Conceptual Framework for Constructivist Foreign Policy Analysis

2. Conceptualizing Temporality and Othering in Role Theory

3. Discourse Analysis and Methodological Choices in Role-Theoretical Research

4. The Relative Salience of the Alter Part ("me"): How Important are the Others for the Constitution of the Czech National Role?

5. The Relative Salience of the Past for the Constitution of the Czech National Role

6. The Czech Self and the Constitutive Other: Identification or Differentiation?

7. The Czech EU policy as a Manifestation of the Czech National Role

8. Contrasting Czech, Russian and Turkish National Role Conceptions vis-à-vis Europe

Conclusion

Über Autor(innen)

Vít Beneš is a Senior Researcher at the Institute of International Relations Prague (IIR), Czech Republic.