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Från Handel till Konflikt

Lundström, Elin LU and Pejnefors, Stella LU (2025) STVK04 20251
Department of Political Science
Abstract
This thesis investigates the underlying causes of the 2018 trade conflict between the European Union and the United States. It employs a mixed-methods research design, combining quantitative time series analysis to identify shifts in power with qualitative, theory-testing process tracing to assess levels of dissatisfaction. Power transition theory serves as the analytical framework, within which the concepts of power and satisfaction are operationalized into measurable variables. The analysis explores the extent to which changes in these variables can account for the emergence of the conflict. The thesis concludes that there is a correlation between shifts in selected power indicators, an increase in dissatisfaction, and the escalation of... (More)
This thesis investigates the underlying causes of the 2018 trade conflict between the European Union and the United States. It employs a mixed-methods research design, combining quantitative time series analysis to identify shifts in power with qualitative, theory-testing process tracing to assess levels of dissatisfaction. Power transition theory serves as the analytical framework, within which the concepts of power and satisfaction are operationalized into measurable variables. The analysis explores the extent to which changes in these variables can account for the emergence of the conflict. The thesis concludes that there is a correlation between shifts in selected power indicators, an increase in dissatisfaction, and the escalation of the conflict. However, it also finds that power transition theory, in its current form, does not fully capture the behavior of dominant powers such as the United States, thereby highlighting the need for further theoretical and empirical research. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Lundström, Elin LU and Pejnefors, Stella LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVK04 20251
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Power transition-teorin, tillfredsställelse, makt, handelskonflikt, EU, USA
language
Swedish
id
9189823
date added to LUP
2025-08-08 11:08:33
date last changed
2025-08-08 11:08:33
@misc{9189823,
  abstract     = {{This thesis investigates the underlying causes of the 2018 trade conflict between the European Union and the United States. It employs a mixed-methods research design, combining quantitative time series analysis to identify shifts in power with qualitative, theory-testing process tracing to assess levels of dissatisfaction. Power transition theory serves as the analytical framework, within which the concepts of power and satisfaction are operationalized into measurable variables. The analysis explores the extent to which changes in these variables can account for the emergence of the conflict. The thesis concludes that there is a correlation between shifts in selected power indicators, an increase in dissatisfaction, and the escalation of the conflict. However, it also finds that power transition theory, in its current form, does not fully capture the behavior of dominant powers such as the United States, thereby highlighting the need for further theoretical and empirical research.}},
  author       = {{Lundström, Elin and Pejnefors, Stella}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Från Handel till Konflikt}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}