Does the EU Still Have Normative Power? Rethinking Europe in a Time of Crisis

'Does the EU Still Have Normative Power? Rethinking Europe in a Time of Crisis' brought to you by the European Dialogue. What does it mean for the European Union to have “normative power” in today’s world, and does that idea still hold? In this episode recorded in February 2026, Professor Ian Manners revisits the concept he famously coined and reflects on how the EU’s global role is being reshaped in a time of overlapping crises. This podcast is part of The European Dialogue podcast series. You can listen to this on Spotify, YouTube or SoundCloud. Links below. 🎙 Drawing on Ian’s latest research, this conversation explores new ways of understanding Europe, from his concept of European Communion to his work on planetary politics and the idea of a “planetary organic crisis” - a convergence of inequality, injustice, ecological breakdown, and insecurity shaping global affairs. Ian invites us to rethink Europe beyond traditional notions of power, and to consider how the EU might act ethically, collectively, and credibly in an increasingly complex world. Key Topics Covered: ✅ Does the concept of “normative power” still apply in 2026? ✅ The idea of European Communion and what it means for solidarity and integration ✅ Understanding today’s planetary crisis and the EU’s role within it ✅ Critiques of EU “double standards” from global actors like Russia and China ✅ What the EU could look like by 2033 📊 The discussion also connects to wider global realities. Recent reports by organisations such as Oxfam and Amnesty International highlight rising inequality, democratic backsliding, and human rights challenges worldwide, raising urgent questions about whether the EU can still lead by example. 📚 Further reading – Ian Manners’ work: (1) Future scenarios of the European project – a Rubik’s cube of possibilities (2013) in in Rikard Bengtsson, Ian Manners, Hans-Åke Persson, Linda Gröning & Ola Zetterquist The European project: politics and law – history and future (Malmö: Liber, 2013), pp. 260-267. (2) European communion: political theory of European union (2013) https://portal.research.lu.se/files/95330293/Ian_Manners_2013_European_communion_political_theory_of_European_union_word_version.pdf (3) Planetary Politics in the Twenty-Second Century (2023) https://portal.research.lu.se/files/157031395/Ian_Manners_2023_Planetary_Politics_in_the_Twenty_Second_Century_word_version.pdf (4) Arrival of Normative Power in Planetary Politics (2024) https://doi.org/10.1111/jcms.13505 (5) Introduction to the Twentieth Anniversary Special Issue on Normative Power in the Planetary Organic Crisis (2025) https://doi.org/10.1177/00108367251348113 (6) Normative Power in the Planetary Organic Crisis (2025) https://doi.org/10.1177/00108367241244954 🌐 Visit our website to join webinars, read blogs, and listen to more podcasts! www.eu-values.eu/ 📲 Follow us for more insights: Instagram 👉 www.instagram.com/euvalues.eu/ LinkedIn 👉 www.linkedin.com/company/eu-values-network/ Bluesky 👉 bsky.app/profile/euvaluesnetwork.bsky.social Spotify 🎧 👉 open.spotify.com/show/4bmecvWt1As2M4cRBsyW6i SoundCloud 👉 @euvaluesnetwork #EUValues #EuropeanUnion #NormativePower #IanManners #GlobalPolitics #Inequality #HumanRights #PlanetaryPolitics #EuropeanDialogue