Rationalism is no more useful than constructivism in explaining the essential nature of EU policy processes

October 28, Ivan Grigoryev

:: outline

1.definitions2.what's wrong with R?3.how C can help fix it?4.examples

:1: definitions

What is...

Policy process?Rationalism?Constructivism?

:1: definitions

What is a policy process?policy process is a process when agents produce political outcomes in given structures/institutions according to their preferences

:1: definitions

rationalism is 'an individualist or agency theory, which requires an explanation of, f irst, actor preferences and, second, collective outcomes as a result of aggregated individual actions based on these preferences' (Schimmelfennig, Rittberger: 86-87)

:1: definitionsconstructivism is quite a mess:

(Christiansen, Jørgensen, Wiener: 5, 10)

:1: definitionsThe three new institutionalisms (Hall, Taylor: 942; Rosamond: 123)

Calculus approach

Rational Choice i. Historical i. Sociological i.

Cultural approach

rationalism constructivism

:1: definitions

constructivists 'see interests as socially constructed rather than pre-given, which means that regularities in the international system are the consequence of collective... meanings' (Rosamond: 130)

constructivism 'demonstrates how European institutions can construct, through a process of interaction, the identities and interests of member states' (Checkel 2001a: 52)

:1:

playing on rationalists' pitch

definitions

:2: what's wrong with rationalism?

outcome = of preferencesΣ x institutions

how do they define the preferences?

:2: what's wrong with rationalism?how do they define the preferences?Moravscik (1998) -> the aggregated economic interestHoffmann (1966) -> the security and sovereignty precariousness

:2: what's wrong with rationalism?

outcome1 = of preferencesΣ x institutions1

outcome2 = of preferencesΣ x institutions2

outcome3 = of preferencesΣ x institutions3

…

Preferences remainthe same

:2: what's wrong with rationalism?

That's the way they model reality

:3: how constructivism can help fix it?

outcome = of preferencesΣ x institutionsinstitutions define preferences because of

'social learning' (Checkel 2001b: 562-563)

:3: how constructivism can help fix it?

social learning occurs:in new environments;when external constraints are low;in a less formal situation(Checkel 2001b: 562-563)

=> that means, quite oftenespecially in the EU

:3: how constructivism can help fix it?

outcome1 = identitiesΣ 1 x institutions1 =>(1) => outcome2 = identitiesΣ 2 x institutions2 but also(2) => outcome2 = outcome1 x institutions2

…

Outcomes are determined by the present institutions and by actor's learning while interacting in the previous institutions. The learning can change identities.

:3: how constructivism can help fix it?

A little bit of recursion

:4: how it works in practice /examples/

two examples: high and low politics

:4: how it works in practice /examples/High politics: Explaining the Constitutionalization of the European Union (Rittberger, Schimmelfennig)

community environment: (1) creates the framework for arguing process, (2) community ethos is used as a resource of support for the argument, (3) actors care for their good images of credible and consistent arguers.

:4: how it works in practice /examples/Low politics: construction of organic farming policy field as a discoursive process (Lynggaard)

shows the ideational nature of institutional change

: : conclusion

(1)promising study agenda(2)problems with implementation(3)usage of 'constructivism' as a label(4)most likely, future cohesion with rationalism

: : literatureCheckel, Jeffrey, (2001a) 'Social Construction and European Integration', in Christiansen, Thomas, Jørgensen, Knud Erik and Wiener, Antje (eds.), The Social Construction Of Europe, London, Sage, pp. 50-65.Checkel, Jeffrey, (2001b) 'Why Comply? Social Learning and European Identity Change', International Organization, vol. 55, no. 3, 2001 pp. 553-588.Christiansen, Thomas, Jørgensen, Knud Erik and Wiener, Antje, 'Introduction', in Christiansen, Thomas, Jørgensen, Knud Erik and Wiener, Antje (eds.), The Social Construction Of Europe, London, Sage, pp. 1-21.Hall, Peter A. and Rosemary C.R. Taylor, 'Political Science and the Three New Institutionalisms', Political Studies, vol. 44, no. 5, 1996, pp. 936-957.

: : literatureHoffmann, Stanley, 'Obstinate or Obsolete? The Fate of Nation-State and the Case of Western Europe', Daedalus, vol. 95, no. 3, 1966, pp. 862-915.Lynggaard, Kennet, 'The institutional construction of a policy field: a discursive institutional perspective on change within the common agricultural policy', Journal of European Public Policy, vol. 14, no. 2, 2007, pp. 293-312.Moravscik, Andrew, The Choice for Europe: Social Purpose and State Power from Messina to Maastricht, Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1998.Pollack, Mark, 'Rational Choice and EU Politics' in K.Joegensen, M.Pollack & B.Rosamond (eds.), Handbook of European Union Politics, London: Sage Publications, 2007, pp. 31-55.

: : literatureRittberger, Berthold, Schimmelfennig, Frank, 'Explaining the Constitutionalization of the European Union', Journal of European Public Policy, vol. 13, no. 8, 2006, pp. 1148-1167.Rosamond, Ben, 'New Theories of European Integration' in M. Cini (ed.) European Union Politics (2nd edition), Oxford: OUP, 2007, pp. 117-136.Schimmelfennig, Frank, Rittberger, Berthold, 'Theories of European Integration: Assumptions and Hypotheses' in J. Richardson (ed.), European Union: Power and Policy-making (3rd edition), London: Routledge, 2006, pp. 73-95.Pictures by various photographers, downloaded fromwww.flickr.com

:?: questions1. Can institutions change the identity of actors or can they only change their behaviour?2. Is constructivism more than just an additional set of views to complement findings of rational theory? Can constructivism become a theory?3. Proponents of constructivist approaches often cite aspects of the enlargement process as an argument to prove the usefulness of their approach. But what can rationalism teach us about the enlargement process?4. Has rationalism sufficiently responded to the criticism of‚ontological blindness and the criticism of explaining’ ‚

change ?’5. Do you agree with Checkel that constructivism needsa more rational epistemology or do you think that purelyinterpretative and qualitative methods are sufficient?