Journal of contemporary European studies, Mar 6, 2024
This article focuses on the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) as a potential tool for EU public diplo... more This article focuses on the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) as a potential tool for EU public diplomacy. Institutionally, the ESC, a pan-European international mega-event that forms images of Europe, is not related to the EU. Yet, given the strong link between the ESC and the notion of Europe, the article suggests that the ESC might have unintentionally become a public diplomacy tool for the EU. This argument is supported by showing how public views of the EU in a nonmember country, Israel, changed following its hosting of the ESC in 2019. A longitudinal survey was used to examine the impact of the ESC on Israelis’ sympathy for the EU six months before the 2019 ESC and immediately after hosting the contest. The findings indicated that watching the ESC final increased sympathy for the EU. This demonstrates the positive influence of exposure to the ESC on the views of the EU, highlighting the potential role of the ESC as a tool of public diplomacy for the EU. The findings also illustrate a broader potential for understanding public diplomacy consequences from real-life events.
Israeli-European Union (EU) relations have consisted of a number of conflicting trends that have ... more Israeli-European Union (EU) relations have consisted of a number of conflicting trends that have resulted in the emergence of a highly problematic and volatile relationship: one characterized by a strong and ever-increasing network of economic, cultural, and personal ties, yet marked, at the political level, by disappointment, bitterness, and anger. On the one hand, Israel has displayed a genuine desire to strengthen its ties with the EU and to be included as part of the European integration project. On the other hand, Israelis are deeply suspicious of the Union’s policies and are untrusting of the Union’s intentions toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to the Middle East as a whole. As a result, Israel has been determined to minimize the EU’s role in the Middle East peace process (MEPP), and to deny it any direct involvement in the negotiations with the Palestinians. The article summarizes some key developments in Israeli-European Community (EC)/EU relations since 1957: the ...
This article focuses on the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) as a potential tool for EU public diplo... more This article focuses on the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) as a potential tool for EU public diplomacy. Institutionally, the ESC, a pan-European international mega-event that forms images of Europe, is not related to the EU. Yet, given the strong link between the ESC and the notion of Europe, the article suggests that the ESC might have unintentionally become a public diplomacy tool for the EU. This argument is supported by showing how public views of the EU in a nonmember country, Israel, changed following its hosting of the ESC in 2019. A longitudinal survey was used to examine the impact of the ESC on Israelis’ sympathy for the EU six months before the 2019 ESC and immediately after hosting the contest. The findings indicated that watching the ESC final increased sympathy for the EU. This demonstrates the positive influence of exposure to the ESC on the views of the EU, highlighting the potential role of the ESC as a tool of public diplomacy for the EU. The findings also illustrate a broader potential for understanding public diplomacy consequences from real-life events.
This article examines the role of norms and culture in perceptions of the European Union. Concept... more This article examines the role of norms and culture in perceptions of the European Union. Conceptually, it offers a distinction between the image of the European Union as a normative actor and attitudes toward one's country's relations with the European Union. It also explores whether the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC), a cultural event which symbolizes the cultural understanding of contemporary Europe, is related to perceptions of the European Union. Empirically, it uses a public opinion survey ( n = 1050) following Israel's hosting of the ESC in 2019. The findings indicate that Israelis distinguish between the image of the European Union as an entity with positive features and their attitudes toward Israel's connections with the European Union.
The Bologna Process and the ensuing establishment of the European Higher Education Area has had a... more The Bologna Process and the ensuing establishment of the European Higher Education Area has had an impact on the ways in which higher education in Europe operates, and the ways it is perceived and related to in countries and regions outside Europe. The Bologna Process has come to symbolize a form of international cooperation in higher education policy, not only in Europe, but all over the world. In this article, we discuss the Bologna Process as a system of international coordination; or, in the jargon of international relations, as a ‘regime’. The article traces the features and methods enabling the Bologna model and their diffusion outside Europe. This perspective offers a useful contribution to the understanding of the Bologna Process as constituting a foreign policy tool for the EU. Moreover, the realization that an international regime can become a player with a life of its own, with an independent influence on the international system, allows us to draw conclusions about the forces that govern the regime, and their international power.
Australian and New Zealand Journal of European Studies
Using Christopher Walker’s and Jessica Ludwig’s ‘sharp power’ theoretical framework, and based on... more Using Christopher Walker’s and Jessica Ludwig’s ‘sharp power’ theoretical framework, and based on some preliminary findings from the May 2019 European Parliament election and the two 2019 rounds of elections in Israel, this article describes a novel method for the automatic detection of political trolls and bots active in Twitter in the October 2019 federal election in Canada. The research identified thousands of accounts invested in Canadian politics that presented a unique activity pattern, significantly different from accounts in a control group. The large-scale cross-cross-sectional approach enabled a distinctive perspective on foreign political meddling in Twitter during the recent federal election campaign. Thisforeign political meddling, we argue, aims at manipulating and poisoning the democratic process and can challenge democracies and their values, as well as their societal resilience.
Sharon Pardo is a professor of European studies and a Jean Monnet Chair ad personam in the Depart... more Sharon Pardo is a professor of European studies and a Jean Monnet Chair ad personam in the Department of Politics and Government at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Hila Zahavi is Director of The Simone Veil Research Centre for Contemporary European Studies at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and an adjunct lecturer in the Department of Politics and Government. They are the editors of The Jewish Contribution to European Integration, forthcoming from Lexington Books (2020).
ABSTRACT As the Bologna Process reaches its twenty-year mark, reflecting on its global influence ... more ABSTRACT As the Bologna Process reaches its twenty-year mark, reflecting on its global influence is of particular value. This special issue aims to take stock of the Bologna Process’ international function by critically examining the motivations and interests behind its ‘global strategy’ as well as scrutinising how the reform has been perceived and applied beyond Europe. The issue offers a ‘bi-directional’ perspective on the externalisation of the Bologna Process by examining both motivations behind it (with a particular focus on the EU as a leading actor) and global responses to it. This introductory article sets the stage for this discussion by unpacking the relevant literature related to the Bologna Process and its global strategy, providing both a contextual and theoretical background to the ensuing contributions. The article considers the Bologna Process through a foreign policy lens by revealing the underlying EU interests tied to the reforms, and higher education policy more broadly. Through this perspective, the article aims to launch a discussion on higher education as a foreign policy tool and the wider implications for EU policy and global higher education.
The objective of this article is to draw a lesson from the EU-Israeli relations in the field of h... more The objective of this article is to draw a lesson from the EU-Israeli relations in the field of higher education, to reflect on the latest inter-national developments in the East Mediterranean area. The article examines the Israeli perceptions towards the Bologna Process and higher education developments in Europe, as well as outline its reactions to it. Through interviews with policy-makers and a qualitative analysis of official documents and political discussions, the article also follows how the response to Bologna in Israel has developed, and how the Bologna Process was perceived in Israel. Relying on the theoretical frameworks of normative power and external perceptions, the article elaborates how the Bologna Process’ trajectory in Israel reflects a wider picture of EU-Israeli relations, and Israeli perceptions of Europe and the EU. The discussion elaborates on how this trajectory reflects on the latest development in the East Mediterranean area, and the strengthening political...
Nationalism and identity politics are two of the main drivers of politics today, both on the inte... more Nationalism and identity politics are two of the main drivers of politics today, both on the international scene and domestically. At the moment, however, it is unclear where these trends will lead...
Australian and New Zealand Journal of European Studies, 2019
Using Christopher Walker and Jessica Ludwig's 'sharp power' theoretical framework, an... more Using Christopher Walker and Jessica Ludwig's 'sharp power' theoretical framework, and based on some preliminary findings from the May 2019 European Parliament election and the two 2019 rounds of elections in Israel, this article describes a novel method for the automatic detection of political trolls and bots active in Twitter in the October 2019 federal election in Canada. The research identified thousands of accounts invested in Canadian politics that presented a unique activity pattern, significantly different from accounts in a control group. The large-scale cross-cross-sectional approach enabled a distinctive perspective on foreign political meddling in Twitter during the recent federal election campaign. This foreign political meddling, we argue, aims at manipulating and poisoning the democratic process and can challenge democracies and their values, as well as their societal resilience.
Journal of contemporary European studies, Mar 6, 2024
This article focuses on the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) as a potential tool for EU public diplo... more This article focuses on the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) as a potential tool for EU public diplomacy. Institutionally, the ESC, a pan-European international mega-event that forms images of Europe, is not related to the EU. Yet, given the strong link between the ESC and the notion of Europe, the article suggests that the ESC might have unintentionally become a public diplomacy tool for the EU. This argument is supported by showing how public views of the EU in a nonmember country, Israel, changed following its hosting of the ESC in 2019. A longitudinal survey was used to examine the impact of the ESC on Israelis’ sympathy for the EU six months before the 2019 ESC and immediately after hosting the contest. The findings indicated that watching the ESC final increased sympathy for the EU. This demonstrates the positive influence of exposure to the ESC on the views of the EU, highlighting the potential role of the ESC as a tool of public diplomacy for the EU. The findings also illustrate a broader potential for understanding public diplomacy consequences from real-life events.
Israeli-European Union (EU) relations have consisted of a number of conflicting trends that have ... more Israeli-European Union (EU) relations have consisted of a number of conflicting trends that have resulted in the emergence of a highly problematic and volatile relationship: one characterized by a strong and ever-increasing network of economic, cultural, and personal ties, yet marked, at the political level, by disappointment, bitterness, and anger. On the one hand, Israel has displayed a genuine desire to strengthen its ties with the EU and to be included as part of the European integration project. On the other hand, Israelis are deeply suspicious of the Union’s policies and are untrusting of the Union’s intentions toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to the Middle East as a whole. As a result, Israel has been determined to minimize the EU’s role in the Middle East peace process (MEPP), and to deny it any direct involvement in the negotiations with the Palestinians. The article summarizes some key developments in Israeli-European Community (EC)/EU relations since 1957: the ...
This article focuses on the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) as a potential tool for EU public diplo... more This article focuses on the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) as a potential tool for EU public diplomacy. Institutionally, the ESC, a pan-European international mega-event that forms images of Europe, is not related to the EU. Yet, given the strong link between the ESC and the notion of Europe, the article suggests that the ESC might have unintentionally become a public diplomacy tool for the EU. This argument is supported by showing how public views of the EU in a nonmember country, Israel, changed following its hosting of the ESC in 2019. A longitudinal survey was used to examine the impact of the ESC on Israelis’ sympathy for the EU six months before the 2019 ESC and immediately after hosting the contest. The findings indicated that watching the ESC final increased sympathy for the EU. This demonstrates the positive influence of exposure to the ESC on the views of the EU, highlighting the potential role of the ESC as a tool of public diplomacy for the EU. The findings also illustrate a broader potential for understanding public diplomacy consequences from real-life events.
This article examines the role of norms and culture in perceptions of the European Union. Concept... more This article examines the role of norms and culture in perceptions of the European Union. Conceptually, it offers a distinction between the image of the European Union as a normative actor and attitudes toward one's country's relations with the European Union. It also explores whether the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC), a cultural event which symbolizes the cultural understanding of contemporary Europe, is related to perceptions of the European Union. Empirically, it uses a public opinion survey ( n = 1050) following Israel's hosting of the ESC in 2019. The findings indicate that Israelis distinguish between the image of the European Union as an entity with positive features and their attitudes toward Israel's connections with the European Union.
The Bologna Process and the ensuing establishment of the European Higher Education Area has had a... more The Bologna Process and the ensuing establishment of the European Higher Education Area has had an impact on the ways in which higher education in Europe operates, and the ways it is perceived and related to in countries and regions outside Europe. The Bologna Process has come to symbolize a form of international cooperation in higher education policy, not only in Europe, but all over the world. In this article, we discuss the Bologna Process as a system of international coordination; or, in the jargon of international relations, as a ‘regime’. The article traces the features and methods enabling the Bologna model and their diffusion outside Europe. This perspective offers a useful contribution to the understanding of the Bologna Process as constituting a foreign policy tool for the EU. Moreover, the realization that an international regime can become a player with a life of its own, with an independent influence on the international system, allows us to draw conclusions about the forces that govern the regime, and their international power.
Australian and New Zealand Journal of European Studies
Using Christopher Walker’s and Jessica Ludwig’s ‘sharp power’ theoretical framework, and based on... more Using Christopher Walker’s and Jessica Ludwig’s ‘sharp power’ theoretical framework, and based on some preliminary findings from the May 2019 European Parliament election and the two 2019 rounds of elections in Israel, this article describes a novel method for the automatic detection of political trolls and bots active in Twitter in the October 2019 federal election in Canada. The research identified thousands of accounts invested in Canadian politics that presented a unique activity pattern, significantly different from accounts in a control group. The large-scale cross-cross-sectional approach enabled a distinctive perspective on foreign political meddling in Twitter during the recent federal election campaign. Thisforeign political meddling, we argue, aims at manipulating and poisoning the democratic process and can challenge democracies and their values, as well as their societal resilience.
Sharon Pardo is a professor of European studies and a Jean Monnet Chair ad personam in the Depart... more Sharon Pardo is a professor of European studies and a Jean Monnet Chair ad personam in the Department of Politics and Government at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Hila Zahavi is Director of The Simone Veil Research Centre for Contemporary European Studies at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and an adjunct lecturer in the Department of Politics and Government. They are the editors of The Jewish Contribution to European Integration, forthcoming from Lexington Books (2020).
ABSTRACT As the Bologna Process reaches its twenty-year mark, reflecting on its global influence ... more ABSTRACT As the Bologna Process reaches its twenty-year mark, reflecting on its global influence is of particular value. This special issue aims to take stock of the Bologna Process’ international function by critically examining the motivations and interests behind its ‘global strategy’ as well as scrutinising how the reform has been perceived and applied beyond Europe. The issue offers a ‘bi-directional’ perspective on the externalisation of the Bologna Process by examining both motivations behind it (with a particular focus on the EU as a leading actor) and global responses to it. This introductory article sets the stage for this discussion by unpacking the relevant literature related to the Bologna Process and its global strategy, providing both a contextual and theoretical background to the ensuing contributions. The article considers the Bologna Process through a foreign policy lens by revealing the underlying EU interests tied to the reforms, and higher education policy more broadly. Through this perspective, the article aims to launch a discussion on higher education as a foreign policy tool and the wider implications for EU policy and global higher education.
The objective of this article is to draw a lesson from the EU-Israeli relations in the field of h... more The objective of this article is to draw a lesson from the EU-Israeli relations in the field of higher education, to reflect on the latest inter-national developments in the East Mediterranean area. The article examines the Israeli perceptions towards the Bologna Process and higher education developments in Europe, as well as outline its reactions to it. Through interviews with policy-makers and a qualitative analysis of official documents and political discussions, the article also follows how the response to Bologna in Israel has developed, and how the Bologna Process was perceived in Israel. Relying on the theoretical frameworks of normative power and external perceptions, the article elaborates how the Bologna Process’ trajectory in Israel reflects a wider picture of EU-Israeli relations, and Israeli perceptions of Europe and the EU. The discussion elaborates on how this trajectory reflects on the latest development in the East Mediterranean area, and the strengthening political...
Nationalism and identity politics are two of the main drivers of politics today, both on the inte... more Nationalism and identity politics are two of the main drivers of politics today, both on the international scene and domestically. At the moment, however, it is unclear where these trends will lead...
Australian and New Zealand Journal of European Studies, 2019
Using Christopher Walker and Jessica Ludwig's 'sharp power' theoretical framework, an... more Using Christopher Walker and Jessica Ludwig's 'sharp power' theoretical framework, and based on some preliminary findings from the May 2019 European Parliament election and the two 2019 rounds of elections in Israel, this article describes a novel method for the automatic detection of political trolls and bots active in Twitter in the October 2019 federal election in Canada. The research identified thousands of accounts invested in Canadian politics that presented a unique activity pattern, significantly different from accounts in a control group. The large-scale cross-cross-sectional approach enabled a distinctive perspective on foreign political meddling in Twitter during the recent federal election campaign. This foreign political meddling, we argue, aims at manipulating and poisoning the democratic process and can challenge democracies and their values, as well as their societal resilience.
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