A Theoretical Approach to the Nature and Aspects of European Security Strategies in the Unipolar World Order

Document Type : Research Paper

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Abstract

Probably the most important impact of the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, as the symbol of ending the bipolar world order, on major international subjects could be realized in the security domain; in a way that this event caused many countries to understand the new security requirements and conditions (a new structure with a different logic from the old structure) and define their survival and existence by designing different new strategies. The aim of this article is to explain the nature of new European security strategies in the post cold war era. To do this, we use the theoretical framework proposed by Waltz as the theory of Structural Realism and modified by Hansen. We will use the following criteria i.e., international institutions, macro policies, macro policies in action and major international issues, in order to understand the European security strategies, while examining the European interactions with the unipolar power. Regarding this issue, our main argument is that although Europe has made some efforts, in practice, for its independent role in the unipolar order, failure in managing internal security issues as well as ideological closeness to the unipolar power, made its security strategy more in accordance with the unipolar power than independent from it.

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