Why Europe fears its neighbors / Fabrizio Tassinari.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction : thy neighbor, thyself -- Where Europe is not -- The path to normalcy -- Turkish ironies -- The remains of the wall -- Russia's roller coaster -- A sea of troubles -- The wide West.

The most daunting threats shaping the political agenda of Europe today coalesce in the arc of countries and regions surrounding it: The Balkans and Turkey, Russia and the former Soviet Republics, North Africa and the Middle East. As Why Europe Fears Its Neighbors makes clear, the challenges facing Europe in this diverse region, the record of its policies, and its overall posture are a reflection of Europe's identity, institutions, and power." "Tassinari maintains that relations between Europe and its neighbors are influenced by the European threat perception, which affects the European power constellation, foreign policy ambitions, and the future of the European integration process in very profound ways. His thesis is supported with a variety of primary sources, data, and samples of the prevailing European discourses on each of the neighboring countries and regions." "By providing a comprehensive, yet accessible analysis of the relations between the EU and its neighbors, this book offers an unconventional reading of the present and future of European security and integration. Challenging conventional wisdom that regards issues such as immigration and energy dependence with growing apprehension, its principal conclusion is that the EU can turn its present introspection around only through deeper engagement with its neighbors. Its ability to do so will prove the litmus test to Europe's unfulfilled foreign policy aspirations. More than that, it is key to the very viability of the European Union.