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Reconciliation narrative: scope and limits of the Pax Europeana

2017; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 25; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/14782804.2017.1351929

1478-2804

Valérie Rosoux,

Global Peace and Security Dynamics

This article focuses on one of the dominant interpretations of European integration, namely the reconciliation narrative that defines European integration as a peacebuilding process. The study is divided into three main parts. The first clarifies the various conceptions of reconciliation as a political process. The second examines the reconciliation narrative as a discourse. The analysis of the references made by EU representatives shows that this narrative can be either backward-looking (an ex post rationalisation of 'what Europe was') or future-oriented (a description of 'what Europe should be'). The third part emphasises the reconciliation narrative as a guideline for action in regions as diverse as the Balkans, East Asia, the African Great Lakes and the Middle East. The aim of this article is to determine whether the EU experience, captured by the reconciliation narrative, can – and should – be replicated. Its main conclusion concerns the need for a polyphonic attitude within the EU, and the need for a modest attitude towards third parties, in terms of both timing and objectives.