Overview

This book examines how, within foreign policy, perceptions are a reflection of an actor's conception of status, credibility and legitimacy assigned to the Self and the Others. Perceptions of the Self and Other and their roles in international relations are also informed by images of superiority, intent and affinity. Perceptions may change over time and under the impact of dramatic events. Chapters explore the perceptions of both sides of EU–Ukraine relations, and propose a new set of concepts to highlight internal and external role incongruences, including: perception gaps, expectations-performance gaps and hope-performance gaps.  A differentiation between cognitive, emotive and normative elements of images helps to explain role conflicts. The book further offers a comparison of EU self-images and Ukrainian expectations and perceptions in four areas of external actions of the EU: as an international leader and global and regional power, a partner for Ukraine, a peace mediator and a public diplomacy actor.   Scholars and students of international relations, European politics, and EU foreign policy will find this book a useful resource. It will also benefit those studying political communication, as the book considers conceptual metaphor theory in its application to the studies of images and perceptions in international relations and communication about complex political events and actors.

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9781789907520

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Reviews

'This contribution of Professors Chaban and Elgström enhances the understanding of International Relations from three different angles. First, the book provides an innovative theoretical framework to study the EU's self-visions and the EU's images around the world. Second, it provides a sound methodology to empirically assess how the EU's foreign policy is perceived by a critical Eastern European neighbor, Ukraine. Third, based on its theoretical and methodological innovations, this book opens new avenues for scholars and policymakers to explain and suggest how to close the gap between expectations and performance in foreign policy practices.' -- Roberto Dominguez, Suffolk University, Boston, US

'This contribution of Professors Chaban and Elgstroem enhances the understanding of International Relations from three different angles. First, the book provides an innovative theoretical framework to study the EU's self-visions and the EU's images around the world. Second, it provides a sound methodology to empirically assess how the EU's foreign policy is perceived by a critical Eastern European neighbor, Ukraine. Third, based on its theoretical and methodological innovations, this book opens new avenues for scholars and policymakers to explain and suggest how to close the gap between expectations and performance in foreign policy practices.' -- Roberto Dominguez, Suffolk University, Boston, US

'This contribution of Professors Chaban and Elgstroem enhances the understanding of International Relations from three different angles. First, the book provides an innovative theoretical framework to study the EU's self-visions and the EU's images around the world. Second, it provides a sound methodology to empirically assess how the EU's foreign policy is perceived by a critical Eastern European neighbor, Ukraine. Third, based on its theoretical and methodological innovations, this book opens new avenues for scholars and policymakers to explain and suggest how to close the gap between expectations and performance in foreign policy practices.' - Roberto Dominguez, Suffolk University, Boston, US

Author Information

Natalia Chaban, Professor and Jean Monnet Chair, Department of Media and Communication, University of Canterbury, New Zealand and Ole Elgström, Professor Emeritus, Department of Political Science, Lund University, Sweden

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