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Circuits of Power: The European Union’s Geoeconomic Position in the Global Semiconductor Network

Fégeant, Axel LU (2025) STVM23 20251
Department of Political Science
Abstract (Swedish)
Amidst global strategic rivalry and the growing politicization of interdependence and technology, structural influence within transnational economic systems underpinning high-tech industries has become an increasingly important source of strategic leverage. Within this context, this thesis investigates whether the European Union (EU) can derive geoeconomic power from its position in the global semiconductor trade network, and whether its strategic position within this network has improved over time.
Employing a network analysis approach, the semiconductor supply chain is disaggregated into three distinct networks to assess the EU’s positional strength across three key time points: 2013, 2019, and 2023. The findings challenge dominant... (More)
Amidst global strategic rivalry and the growing politicization of interdependence and technology, structural influence within transnational economic systems underpinning high-tech industries has become an increasingly important source of strategic leverage. Within this context, this thesis investigates whether the European Union (EU) can derive geoeconomic power from its position in the global semiconductor trade network, and whether its strategic position within this network has improved over time.
Employing a network analysis approach, the semiconductor supply chain is disaggregated into three distinct networks to assess the EU’s positional strength across three key time points: 2013, 2019, and 2023. The findings challenge dominant narratives that portray the EU as geoeconomically weak, revealing that the Union occupies an influential position within the semiconductor network. Additionally, the analysis suggests that, despite only modest gains in enhancing its position, the EU has demonstrated greater resilience than many of its global counterparts.
By illuminating structural dimensions of power that remain hidden in traditional conceptualizations of geoeconomics, the thesis offers a novel lens through which to understand the EU’s geoeconomic power in an increasingly competitive global order. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Fégeant, Axel LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVM23 20251
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
geoeconomics, weaponized interdependence, semiconductors, trade, network analysis, European Union (EU)
language
English
id
9189499
date added to LUP
2025-08-08 11:38:04
date last changed
2025-08-08 11:38:04
@misc{9189499,
  abstract     = {{Amidst global strategic rivalry and the growing politicization of interdependence and technology, structural influence within transnational economic systems underpinning high-tech industries has become an increasingly important source of strategic leverage. Within this context, this thesis investigates whether the European Union (EU) can derive geoeconomic power from its position in the global semiconductor trade network, and whether its strategic position within this network has improved over time.
Employing a network analysis approach, the semiconductor supply chain is disaggregated into three distinct networks to assess the EU’s positional strength across three key time points: 2013, 2019, and 2023. The findings challenge dominant narratives that portray the EU as geoeconomically weak, revealing that the Union occupies an influential position within the semiconductor network. Additionally, the analysis suggests that, despite only modest gains in enhancing its position, the EU has demonstrated greater resilience than many of its global counterparts. 
By illuminating structural dimensions of power that remain hidden in traditional conceptualizations of geoeconomics, the thesis offers a novel lens through which to understand the EU’s geoeconomic power in an increasingly competitive global order.}},
  author       = {{Fégeant, Axel}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Circuits of Power: The European Union’s Geoeconomic Position in the Global Semiconductor Network}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}