Divided We Stand: Limits of Central European Atlanticism in the New Era Cover Image

Divided We Stand: Limits of Central European Atlanticism in the New Era
Divided We Stand: Limits of Central European Atlanticism in the New Era

Author(s): Nik Hynek, Vít Střítecký
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences
Published by: Research Center of the Slovak Foreign Policy Association (RC SFPA)
Keywords: Central Europe; regionalism; security; Atlanticism

Summary/Abstract: The article starts with the assessment of Central European ‘regionalism’. First of all, the author argues that common regional wisdom has a strong geopolitical background that has also essentially informed Alanticist views of the Central European foreign and security policies. Secondly, the author examines Alanticist perspectives more in detail to identify different shapes and dynamics of this idea. Finally, the article attempts at putting forward an idea that geopolitical discourses heavily burden the Central European states’ security identities and clearly complicate and limit strategic moves that would reflect the characteristics of the coming times. The authors concludes that instead of identifying geopolitically-informed threats and an unrealistic searching for ways through which the leading world superpower would provide some extra-guarantees, the countries should with a greater stress identify themselves as firm parts of European projects.

  • Issue Year: XVIII/2009
  • Issue No: 04
  • Page Range: 19-30
  • Page Count: 12
  • Language: English