The European Union's Global Health Actorness

Whilst the European Union's (EU's) response to health emergencies has historically been subpar, some suggest that it emerged from COVID-19 as a stronger global health actor. This prompts two interrelated questions: how have International Relations scholars conceptualised and assessed EU &#...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Fernández, Óscar|||0000-0001-8290-6102
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2024
País:España
Institución:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:299993
Acceso en línea:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/299993
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.1111/jcms.13645
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Actorness
European Union
External action
Global health
Pandemic
Descripción
Sumario:Whilst the European Union's (EU's) response to health emergencies has historically been subpar, some suggest that it emerged from COVID-19 as a stronger global health actor. This prompts two interrelated questions: how have International Relations scholars conceptualised and assessed EU 'actorness' in the all-too-often neglected field of global health, and what adjustments are required in anticipation of a potential new age of pandemics? This article revisits the longstanding notion of 'actorness' and dissects the few studies that apply it systematically to analyse the EU's role in global health. After identifying some key shortcomings in the literature, the article formulates a research agenda suitable for the complex and high-stakes nature of contemporary global health endeavours. By further adapting the concept of 'actorness' to a multifaceted EU external action as well as to an increasingly intricate global governance architecture, this research agenda contributes to the broader scholarship on the EU's international outreach.