While many people dismiss the European Union as little more than a regional political project, this book reveals its quietly growing global influence. Mai’a K. Davis Cross argues that despite often flying under the radar, long-standing European global strategies have permeated the very fabric of the international system, upholding strong norms of stability, liberalism, and social consciousness from the deep sea to outer space. For the EU, grand strategy is not so much about pursuing a position at the top of the international hierarchy, but about shaping the international environment itself.
This book offers a globe-spanning, planetary perspective on how and why the European Union has deeply mattered to world order in the 21st century .With a fresh perspective on grand strategy, Cross argues that the EU’s grand strategy should be understood on a planetary level, extending strategic thinking beyond traditional state-centric models to address multi-generational existential challenges that transcend borders. Utilizing nine case studies – from space exploration to human rights – the book states that at the heart of the EU’s global impact is its social power, which operates through transnational networks, and whose activities are our best hope to sustain our planet over the next 50-100 years. In this deeply interconnected yet fragile world, it is time to move away from evaluating grand strategy merely for its achievement of national self-interest, and instead towards its capacity to safeguard the future of humanity. In this regard, the EU is the indispensable actor.
Case studies include: European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), European Space Agency (ESA), EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), Natura 2000, European Marine Board, Common Security and Defense Policy, European Security and Defence College (military training), and Election Observation Missions.
Mai'a Keapuolani Davis Cross 