EU CSDP as discourse and identity: towards a security actor in the neighbourhood

This diploma thesis explores the European Union's identity as a security actor in its neighbourhood. More specifically, it aims to find persistent discursive elements that contribute to form its actorness identity. To this end, the thesis analyses the EU official discourse of two 'opposite' CSDP missions in its neighbourhood - Operation Concordia in FYROM and Operation Sophia in the Mediterranean Sea. It develops a theoretical approach which highlights internal functions of external actions. As a consequence, the CSDP is regarded as identity- building exercise and the discourse surrounding the military missions is viewed as directed to strengthen the EU actorness identity. The discursive fields of Concordia and Sophia are examined through three dimensions or 'lenses' named as 'distinctiveness', 'normative justifications', and 'part of a bigger picture'. With their help, the analysis reveals that in spite of the notable development of CSDP in the past two decades, there are long standing discursive tools the EU uses to build its identity as a security actor and enhance its standing both at home and on the world stage