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Key research projects The European Union in the World in Historical and Contemporary PerspectivesCombining the analyses of historians and political scientists with the insights of practitioners, this project, led by Professor Pascaline Winand, aims to examine the role and presence of the European Commission (EC) / European Union (EU) on the world scene. In particular it aims to study the EU, its origins and evolution from the 1950s to the 21st Century as seen from the perspectives of non-EU countries and regions (e.g. Australia, New Zealand, China, India, the Asia-Pacific, the US, Russia, the Middle East, Africa etc). It includes the examination of the postcolonial heritage in EU external relations as well as the role of the EU in international organizations. The project is being developed collaboratively with partners at:
Energy and the Environment: Securing Sustainable Energy Supplies in Europe and AustraliaThis project was initiated by the Monash European and EU Centre and benefits from the collaboration of:
To find reliable, diverse, affordable, publicly acceptable and safe ways to supply energy, while minimising climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions, is the number one priority and challenge for governments and private enterprise alike in the 21st century. The challenge for governments is immense because energy markets are supplied by complex delivery systems, which often transcend a range of legal, regulatory, economic and territorial jurisdictions. For the business community, there is a need to manage uncertainty in the regulatory environment to ensure that reliable, considered and economically-feasible decisions can be made. For consumers, significant change in everyday energy consumption poses new challenges as we undertake the transformation to an environmentally sustainable society. Securing sustainable energy supply has become a key priority in the EU and is a growing concern in Australia. The purpose of this research is to explore, debate and compare the different approaches and experiences in securing energy supplies in Europe and Australia, with a view to facilitating the development of sustainable government and business strategy in both jurisdictions. The project focuses on the interplay between policy-makers, scientists, business and environmental groups in securing sustainable energy supplies in the EU and Australia. For more information, contact Prof Pascaline Winand. EU-US Relations from World War II to the Twenty-first CenturyThis research project, led by Professor Pascaline Winand, analyzes US/EC/EU relations from World War II to the present. One of its main objectives is to gain a better understanding of the role of the EU as an external actor by looking at the perceptions, expectations and actions of the US vis-à-vis the EU and its Member States in the economic, political, security and defense fields. The project accordingly seeks to explore American attitudes towards European integration and in particular why and within what limits the US has continued to support European integration both in a Cold War and a post-Cold War context. Transnational Elites at the European and Transatlantic Level, European unity and the Atlantic CommunityLed by Pascaline Winand, this project studies public and private interest groups in the EC/EU, including European associations and promotion groups for Europe, and, more generally, transnational elites at the European and transatlantic level. Part of the project includes the political biography of Max Kohnstamm, a close collaborator of Jean Monnet, whom he seconded in his Action Committee for the United States of Europe from the mid-fifties to the early seventies. Islam in EuropeThis project initiated by Dr Natalie Doyle analyses the impact of Muslim minorities in European countries. It looks at how Islam, as second religion in Europe, challenges the self-definition of European identity with regards to the notion of secularity. It examines the specific difficulties of integration encountered by European Muslims in contrast with other parts of the Western world as well as at European assessments of the risk of violent radicalization. EU External Relations and Climate Change: A Critical Discourse Analysis in China and the Middle EastAlfonso Martínez Arranz conducts research on how the European Union (EU) considers climate change in its relations with China and the Middle East. China will soon become the top consumer of hydrocarbons whereas the Middle East will presumably remain its top producer in the foreseeable future. Meanwhile the EU has styled itself as a leader in the fight against climate change. Indeed, it signed the Kyoto Protocol without hesitation and then flexed its trading muscle to induce others to do likewise. Alfonso would like to find out whether the EU is truly leading in all fronts by investigating the discourse of its external service (DG Trade - Ex, DG Development and DG RELEX) towards key players in this issue. Media Presentations and Elite Perceptions of the EU as a Development ActorDr Patrick Kimunguyi is involved in a trans-national research project on the ‘Visibility of the European Union as a Development Actor in the South and East Africa, South East Asia and the Pacific’. The project is being coordinated by the National Centre for Research on Europe (NCRE), University of Canterbury, New Zealand.
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