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Space for Actorness and Power: The Discursive Construction of the European Union as a Space Actor and its Approach to Global Outer Space Governance

Carl, Monika LU (2024) STVM23 20241
Department of Political Science
Abstract
Space activity is rapidly developing, increasing globally in public and private sectors, and subject to competition amongst dominant spacefaring actors. Global space governance is discordant with the contemporary environment motivating international efforts to develop it. Since 2021 the European Union (EU) is intensively developing space policy and strategies. This dissertation contributes to studies on the construction and positioning of the EU as a global actor in relation to outer space. It examines how the internal discursive construction of the EU as a space actor and power-considerations shape its approach to global space governance using a social constructivist approach with critical discourse analysis of official internal documents... (More)
Space activity is rapidly developing, increasing globally in public and private sectors, and subject to competition amongst dominant spacefaring actors. Global space governance is discordant with the contemporary environment motivating international efforts to develop it. Since 2021 the European Union (EU) is intensively developing space policy and strategies. This dissertation contributes to studies on the construction and positioning of the EU as a global actor in relation to outer space. It examines how the internal discursive construction of the EU as a space actor and power-considerations shape its approach to global space governance using a social constructivist approach with critical discourse analysis of official internal documents in a longitudinal case study from 2009-2023. Space promotes actorness and power for the EU as global actorness and internal objectives are understood as mutually reinforcing. The dissertation demonstrates how through perception of the domain as congested and competitive capability expansion is linked to security and global context which shapes the EU’s approach to global space governance and sustains dynamics of power projection and competition in the domain, revealing geopolitical notions. Nonetheless, findings indicate that by virtue of presence global organising principles may be shaped to facilitate international cooperation in space. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Carl, Monika LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVM23 20241
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
European Union, Outer Space, Actorness, Power, Global Governance
language
English
id
9152448
date added to LUP
2024-07-18 13:55:38
date last changed
2024-07-18 13:55:38
@misc{9152448,
  abstract     = {{Space activity is rapidly developing, increasing globally in public and private sectors, and subject to competition amongst dominant spacefaring actors. Global space governance is discordant with the contemporary environment motivating international efforts to develop it. Since 2021 the European Union (EU) is intensively developing space policy and strategies. This dissertation contributes to studies on the construction and positioning of the EU as a global actor in relation to outer space. It examines how the internal discursive construction of the EU as a space actor and power-considerations shape its approach to global space governance using a social constructivist approach with critical discourse analysis of official internal documents in a longitudinal case study from 2009-2023. Space promotes actorness and power for the EU as global actorness and internal objectives are understood as mutually reinforcing. The dissertation demonstrates how through perception of the domain as congested and competitive capability expansion is linked to security and global context which shapes the EU’s approach to global space governance and sustains dynamics of power projection and competition in the domain, revealing geopolitical notions. Nonetheless, findings indicate that by virtue of presence global organising principles may be shaped to facilitate international cooperation in space.}},
  author       = {{Carl, Monika}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Space for Actorness and Power: The Discursive Construction of the European Union as a Space Actor and its Approach to Global Outer Space Governance}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}