The European Union through the Eyes of Ukrainian Think Tankers: Studying EU Perceptions Post-Euromaidan

Abstract

The European Union (EU) engagement in its Eastern neighborhood, including Ukraine, has attracted considerable scholarly attention. Yet studies focusing on EU perceptions in neighboring countries have been rare, which is especially true for EU perceptions among non-governmental actors. This article examines perceptions (or images) of the EU and its initiatives, such as the Eastern Partnership and the Association Agreement, within a specific group of Ukrainian civil society organizations, namely think tanks (as elite opinion makers), following the Euromaidan Revolution. The study maps discursive frames used by leading think tank representatives working in the field of foreign and security policy analysis or performing the functions of watchdogs in sectors such as democratization, public administration reform, and economic liberalization. Methodologically, the study employs content analysis of policy related papers published by the organizations, as well as complementary expert interviews with representatives of the Ukrainian think tank community. The article thus contributes to understanding the civil society's views on the EU in Ukraine in the post-Euromaidan period.

Why Are Success Stories Not Copied? Emulating Advocacy Strategies Amongst Eastern Partnership Think-Tanks

“…EASTERN PARTNERSHIP THINK-TANKS priorities as 'domestic' demand for their work may far exceed the supply. 23 Systematic research on think-tanks in the post-Soviet context remains largely absent, 24 one of the few notable exceptions being Jezierska and Giusti (2020). 25 Advocacy strategies vary from direct lobbying efforts to influence the agenda or suggest specific policy-solutions to awareness raising campaigns and shaping public discourse.…”

Громадянське Суспільство В Україні: До Питання Про Політичну Інституціоналізацію.

“…Громадянському суспільству вдалося побудувати та розширити мережу довіри до них [13]. Діана Зубко, незалежний дослідник, вважає, що громадянське суспільство стало більш професіоналізованим і незалежним у своєму порядку денному [4]. Таким чином, демократична соціалізація та підвищення соціального капіталу є основними функціями громадянського суспільства в Україні, тоді як функція громадянського суспільства як контролера демократичного правління виглядає досить слабкою.…”