Global Citizen and European Republic: Irish Foreign Policy in Transition (Reappraising the Political)

This book, available in paperback for the first time, offers a new and innovative way of looking at Irish foreign policy, linking its development with changes in Irish national identity. Many debates within contemporary International Relations focus on the relative benefits of taking a traditional interest-based approach to the study of foreign policy as opposed to the more recently developed identity-based approach. Uniquely, this book takes the latter and instead of looking at Irish foreign policy through the lens of individual, geo-strategic or political interest, it is linked to deeper identity changes. As one Minister of Foreign Affairs put it; ‘Irish foreign policy is about much more than self-interest. The elaboration of our foreign policy is also a matter of self-definition - simply put, it is for many of us a statement of the kind of people that we are.'The contributors are drawn from those who have worked alongside Janet Nelson and from some of her former students. They include David Bates, Stephen Baxter, Wendy Davies, Paul Fouracre and David Ganz. This book offers a new way of looking at Irish foreign policy, linking its development with changes in Irish national identity. Many debates within contemporary international relations focus on the relative benefits of taking a traditional interest-based approach to the study of foreign policy as opposed to the more recently developed identity-based approach. This book takes the latter and, instead of looking at Irish foreign policy through the lens of individual, geo-strategic or political interests, is linked to deeper identity changes. As one Minister of Foreign Affairs put it; ‘Irish foreign policy is about much more than self-interest. The elaboration of our foreign policy is also a matter of self-definition—simply put, it is for many of us a statement of the kind of people that we are’. Using this approach, four grand narratives are identified which, it is argued, have served to shape the course of Irish foreign policy and which have, in turn, been impacted by the course of Ireland's international experience. The roots and significance of each of these narratives; Ireland as a European Republic, as a Global Citizen, as an Anglo-American State and as an Irish Nation are then outlined and their significance assessed. The shape of Irish foreign-policy-making structures is then drawn out and the usefulness of this book's approach to Irish foreign policy is then considered in three brief case studies: Ireland's European experience, its neutrality and Irish policy towards the 2003 Iraq War This book offers a new and innovative way of looking at Irish foreign policy, linking its development with changes in Irish national identity. Many debates within contemporary international relations focus on the relative benefits of taking a traditional interest-based approach to the study of foreign policy as opposed to the more recently developed identity-based approach. Uniquely, this book takes the latter and instead of looking at Irish foreign policy through the lens of individual, geo-strategic or political interest, it is linked to deeper identity changes. As one Minister of Foreign Affairs put it: "Irish foreign policy is about much more than self-interest. The elaboration of our foreign policy is also a matter of self-definition—simply put, it is for many of us a statement of the kind of people that we are." The contributors are drawn from those who have worked alongside Janet Nelson and from some of her former students. They include David Bates, Stephen Baxter, Wendy Davies, Paul Fouracre and David Ganz In This Book, Ben Tonra Applies A New And Innovative Way Of Looking At Irish Foreign Policy As Well As Offering A Unique Understanding Of Ireland's Place In Europe And The Wider World. The Narrative Of The Irish Nation -- The Narrative Of The Global Citizen -- The Narrative Of The European Republic -- The Narrative Of The Anglo-american State -- Policy Actors And Structures : The Executive Drama -- Policy Actors And Structures : The Democratic Coda -- European Ambitions And Obligations -- Security, Defence And Neutrality -- Case Study : The War In Iraq In 2003 -- Conclusions On An Irish Role In The World. Ben Tonra. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [208]-221) And Index. "This book offers a new and innovative way of looking at Irish foreign policy, linking its development with changes in Irish national identity. Many debates within contemporary international relations focus on the relative benefits of taking a traditional interest-based approach to the study of foreign policy as opposed to the more recently developed identity-based approach. Uniquely, this book takes the latter and, instead of looking at Irish foreign policy through the lens of individual, geo-strategic or political interest, it is linked to deeper identity changes."--BOOK JACKET Contents 6 Acknowledgements 10 1 Introduction 12 2 The narrative of the Irish Nation 27 3 The narrative of the Global Citizen 44 4 The narrative of the European Republic 62 5 The narrative of the Anglo-American State 77 6 Policy actors and structures: the executive drama 95 7 Policy actors and structures: the democratic coda 114 8 European ambitions and obligations 136 9 Security, defence and neutrality 164 10 Case study: the war in Iraq 2003 192 11 Conclusions on an Irish role in the world 208 Bibliography 219 Index 234