The actorness of the EU and the Western Balkans: towards permanent liminality?

In this article, the author examines the EU’s identity in relation to the concept of external Other. It is argued that the EU identity formation represents a relational process shaped not only by its interaction with national identity but also with significant others, necessary for the defining/redefining and manifesting of the EU's identity. The paper focuses on the Western Balkans as an external Other in the process of constructing and shaping the EU actorness. It goes beyond the clear-cut dichotomy in the self/other relation, introducing the concept of liminality as a useful analytical tool in explaining the identity of these two actors. The article suggests that both the EU and the Western Balkans are "stuck" in a liminal position, i.e. trapped in-between different sets of role expectations which could lead to the permanent liminality