The OSCE: Soft Security for a Hard World

This book explores the evolution and performance of the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) by adopting a variety of theoretical perspectives and inviting the reader to reflect about the nature of soft power in International Relations.

This book explores why the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) remains a largely unknown entity as far as the general public are concerned, despite its significant day-to-day activity not only on the diplomatic front, but also via its 16 field operations.
While the main achievement of its predecessor, the Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), was to bridge the East-West divide in Europe during the Cold War, the CSCE was transformed into the OSCE in 1995 to respond to the various challenges generated by the emergence of a multipolar world. Ever since, the OSCE has been involved in diplomacy, empowered with instruments of persuasion rather than coercion. Is the OSCE a significant regional organization in dealing with international security? Has the OSCE been able to reinvent itself to face the post-Cold War world? What type of security is the OSCE providing to its member states? This book provides a variety of answers based on different theoretical perspectives and invites the reader to reflect on the nature of soft power within international relations.

Autorentext

Roberto Dominguez is a Jean Monnet Fellow of the Global Governance Program at the European University Institute and Associate Professor in the Department of Government at Suffolk University. His recent publications include Security Governance of International Organizations (with Emil Kirchner, 2011).

Inhalt
Contents: Roberto Dominguez: Introduction: The OSCE as a Security Provider Giulio Venneri: Realist Perspectives. The Missed Opportunity to Create a Pan-European Collective Security Organization Boyka Stefanova: Institutionalist Theories. The OSCE in the Western Balkans Pablo Toral: Social Constructivism. Re-Constructing European Security (1965-1975) Laura Zanotti: Post-Structuralism. Soft Power as Governmentality and Normalization in the OSCE's Role in Croatia Markus Thiel: The Copenhagen School. Societal Security and the OSCE's Human Dimension Benjamin Zyla: Soft Power. The Role of Canada in the OSCE Maxime Larivé: The European Architecture. OSCE, NATO, and the EU Roberto Dominguez: Conclusion: Interpreting the OSCE.