Economic Diplomacy of the European Union. Liberal or Realist Actor?

Bachelor Thesis from the year 2019 in the subject Politics - International Politics - General and Theories, grade: 1.3, Zeppelin University Friedrichshafen, language: English, abstract: In the last decades the processes of globalization gave rise to economic interdependencies, leading to the increasing importance of economic diplomacy. The European Union is the largest trading block in the world and therefore exerts considerable power in international trade affairs. This thesis will pursue a theory-testing approach to analyze whether the EU is a realist or liberal actor in economic diplomacy. Through three case studies we come to a complex conclusion, that highlights the realist strategic thinking embodied in EU actions and the liberal set of tools that is used to achieve those.As economic diplomacy is designed to shape the international economic order, the European Union has an important set of tools at its hand. But how is it used? Is the EU the liberal powerhouse of the world, striving to increase trade regardless of strategic motives, promoting democracy and the global rise of capitalism with a view on human rights and labour rights? Or is the EU in fact a realist actor, that makes use of economic diplomacy to increase its power and to strengthen its own national security?