DOI: 10.7256/2454-0641.2016.1.18132

Abstract: The factor of power is an important prerequisite of the EU’s competitiveness as a global actor and its stability. The authors analyze the power factor transformation in the EU’s policy since the creation of the common European project till the present time; define the role of the factor of power and its aspects (“hard power”, “soft power”, “normative power”) in the contemporary foreign policy of the EU; consider the main instruments of implementation of the power potential of the Union as a global political and economic actor. The authors apply the historical method, comparative analysis, discourse analysis and other general scientific research methods. The paper reveals the transformation character of the power factor in the foreign policy strategy of the EU and defines the role of the factor of power and its aspects (“hard” and “soft” power) in the contemporary foreign policy of the EU. The historical analysis if the stages of the power factor transforming in the common European policy shows that the EU’s foreign policy is based on “soft power” reflecting the values and the ideals typical for the European sociocultural and political life. In spite of the fact that “soft power” is the key source of authority for the EU, based on the cultural and civilizational code and the normative power, in strategic and geopolitical issues the EU actively applies the instruments of “hard” power copying the foreign policy “habitus” of the national state. 

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0617.2016.1.18161

Abstract: The subject of this article is the cultural foreign policy of modern Germany that became a key traditional tool for the forming of a positive image of the state in terms of foreign policy. The author examines the major vectors of German cultural foreign politics, outlines key platforms and strategies that allow to enhance the competitiveness of the actor's political image, defines the aims and goals of modern cultural foreign policy of Germany. The article analyzes the historical development of cultural politics of Germany, describes the key stages of German's Kulturpolitik's evolution that became the basis of German's post World War II political image. The methodology of this work includes historic method, and the method of political analysis. The empirical basis employed by the author includes the data on modern strategies of German Ministry of Foreign Politics in cultural policies. The novelty of this work is the analysis of transformations of cultural policies of Germany, starting at the first decades of the XXth century to the present day. The article provides a survey of the main cultural programs aimed to improve the image of Germany which suffered significant damage after World War II.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0641.2015.2.14153

Abstract: The current economic crisis of the Eurozone has become one of the strongest challenges for the EU: it has put a question mark over further existence of the Union and splitted the European countries into two inconsolable groups of Euro optimists and Euro pessimists. The article discusses the role of Germany in strengthening the position of the EU as a key political player in the world arena, provides analysis of the two projects initiated in Germany in support of the European project, evaluates the effectiveness of implementation of the image projects in the EU in order to restore the reputation of the European Union during the current economic and existential crisis. In the article the method of system analysis has been applied for the purpose of accomplishing a complex study of the image campaigns implemented in Germany to support the EU. The study has the interdisciplinary character as it covers such scientific fields as international relations, imageology and marketing communications. The novelty of the research consists in deeper understanding of the following aspects: identification of the role of Germany in strengthening the position of the EU as a key political player on the world stage, the results of the system analysis of the anti-crisis image campaigns implemented by the Federal Republic of Germany, estimation of the effectiveness of the image campaigns "I want Europe" and "We are Europe“, estimation of the prospects of carrying out image projects in the EU in order to restore its image and reputation damaged during the current political and economical crisis.

DOI: 10.7256/1339-3057.2014.2.10712

Abstract: