The thesis analyses the extent to which the 2013 Crisis in Ukraine affected Kazakhstan and Belarus's economic and political relations with Russia within the integrational framework of the Eurasian...Show moreThe thesis analyses the extent to which the 2013 Crisis in Ukraine affected Kazakhstan and Belarus's economic and political relations with Russia within the integrational framework of the Eurasian Economic Union.Show less
To answer the question of what explains the success of recent Eurasian integrational projects (Eurasian Economic Community; Eurasian Customs Union; Eurasian Common Economic Space; and Eurasian...Show moreTo answer the question of what explains the success of recent Eurasian integrational projects (Eurasian Economic Community; Eurasian Customs Union; Eurasian Common Economic Space; and Eurasian Economic Union) vis-à-vis their predecessor (Commonwealth of Independent States), this research firstly establishes two measures of success of regional integration projects and applies these to the two aforementioned groupings in Eurasia. Then, several explanations of the varying success between these two groupings are analysed, after which the theory of postfunctionalism will be proposed as a possible explanation. To test this theory’s suitability in explaining this variation, its hypothesis about the success (and lack thereof) of regional integration projects will be tested using a longitudinal case-study research design involving mixed research methods.Show less
This dissertation provides a new light on the role of the Russian Federation in the Eurasian Economic Union’s (EEU) formation and its economic integration. It looks and assesses the level of...Show moreThis dissertation provides a new light on the role of the Russian Federation in the Eurasian Economic Union’s (EEU) formation and its economic integration. It looks and assesses the level of current integration of the EEU as well as its prospects, epitomized by Russia’s willingness to push for a monetary union. To do so, the Data Analysis section investigates both current and prospects of Russia’s economic integration with the EEU. In sum, the analysis results reveal Russia’s economic motivation towards increasing its further integration with the Eurasian Economic Union. Further remarks point to data limitation and potential future research on the matter.Show less
The several region-building cycles that have taken place amongst post-Soviet states did not result in an integrated regional organisation and are therefore considered failed by scholars. Despite...Show moreThe several region-building cycles that have taken place amongst post-Soviet states did not result in an integrated regional organisation and are therefore considered failed by scholars. Despite the disappointing results so far, the ambition to establish a viable regional organisation lives on and was put back on the agenda in several countries in the region, nowadays collectively referred to as Eurasia. This revitalisation has resulted in the Eurasian Economic Union, a new agent that is supposed to turn the tide in the process of region-building amongst post-Soviet states. The first part of this research compares the EAEU with its predecessors and provides answers on how the EAEU attempts to break with the legacy of unsuccessful regionalism. The second part is devoted to a comparative analysis on the EAEU and EU, which the young regional organisation claims to emulate. This examination covers the analysis and synthesis of similarities and patterns in fields where forms of emulation are acknowledgeable. The outcomes are presented though linking the results of two comparative analyses with primary data obtained through questionnaires. Lastly, within this thesis the uniqueness of Eurasia as a symbioses of Asian and European traditions plays a central role.Show less
A review of the literature on the Sino-Russian relationship identifies a widening mismatch between expectations and reality. Scholarly expectations highlight the propensity of conflict, based upon...Show moreA review of the literature on the Sino-Russian relationship identifies a widening mismatch between expectations and reality. Scholarly expectations highlight the propensity of conflict, based upon traditional security considerations resulting in a definition of the Sino-Russian relationship that is limited, instrumental and asymmetric—an ‘axis of convenience’ according to mainstream scholars. Tensions are held to be most conspicuous in Russia and China’s shared backyard: Central Asia. Since the 2010s, both China and Russia have engaged in efforts to rearrange their regional backyards and consolidate influence over their smaller neighbours. The simultaneous, yet juxtapositional, establishment of Russia’s Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and China’s Silk Road Economic Belt (SREB) are widely deemed to reflect the independent foreign policy objectives of each party as well as the traditional security considerations underlying their regional projects. As a result, they have led many analysts to foresee a new Great Game in the region. To date, tensions have not surfaced, why? Contributing to critical scholarship, this thesis engages in securitization theory to gain insights into the different identities and security drivers underlying both powers’ regional initiatives. Appreciating the normative and ideational underpinnings of Russia’s EEU and China’s SREB, this research provides a new take upon the question why, and to what extent, the relationship does work—instead of why it does not, or will not, work. A poststructuralist discourse analysis has been conducted to examine these discursive representations of identity and security and answer this thesis’ main research question: To what extent do the security discourses of Russia’s EEU and China’s SREB explain the compatibility of the two initiatives? The findings of this thesis provide a balanced and contextualized account of both powers’ regional initiatives and give greater attention to the forces of convergence shaping the Sino-Russian relationship in the region and beyond.Show less
