Europe as Mediator: Challenges and Opportunities Amid Global Change with Professor Benedicte Bull

In this episode of the EULAS Weaving Paths Podcast, we welcome Professor Benedicte Bull from the University of Oslo to discuss Europe’s role as a mediator and the challenges and opportunities for EU–Latin America cooperation amid global change. Recorded in English at the LAC–EU Doctoral Network Summer School in Barcelona (September 2025), ahead of the EU–CELAC Summit, this conversation explores key issues in democracy, development, and global governance. We cover: - How shifting power balances and the rebirth of the Global South are reshaping EU–Latin America relations. - The potential and limits of Europe as a mediator in peacebuilding and conflict resolution. - The role of elites, inequality, and external powers like China in Latin American politics and economies. - How differences in democratic models and institutional frameworks affect cooperation. - Opportunities for EU–CELAC collaboration on mediation, democracy, and sustainable development. For resources mentioned in the podcast, check out: - Bull, B., & Banik, D. (2025). The Rebirth of the Global South: Geopolitics, Imageries and Developmental Realities. Forum for Development Studies, 52(2), 195–214. https://doi.org/10.1080/08039410.2025.2490696 - Bull, B., & Rosales, A. (2025). Chinese impact on development in Venezuela: the dynamics of structural stagnation. New Political Economy, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/13563467.2025.2531004 - Bull, B., & Rosales, A. (2024). Elite Dynamics and China’s Influence in Latin America. Development and Change. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/dech.12861 Fundación Carolina. (2024). Tecno-plutocracia, democracia y concentración de poder en América Latina. Fundación Carolina. https://www.fundacioncarolina.es/catalogo/tecno-plutocracia-democracia-y-concentracion-de-poder-en-america-latina/ This episode sheds light on the challenges of transatlantic cooperation in a rapidly changing world and the possibilities for more effective inter-regional strategies. 👉 If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast to hear more, and visit our website for updates: www.eulas.network #Europe #LatinAmerica #EULASPodcast #GlobalGovernance #Mediation #Peacebuilding #EU #CELAC #Democracy #Inequality #GlobalSouth #TransatlanticRelations #InterregionalCooperation #Podcast