Rhetorical action in a liberal international order in crisis: theorising EU and NATO enlargements post-2022
本文通过五篇反思文章和Frank Schimmelfennig的回应，评估修辞行动理论在解释当前欧盟与北约扩大进程及国际合作中的有效性，发现理论仍适用但需考虑政治化、民粹主义等新条件。
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has thrust the issue of European Union and NATO enlargement back into the political spotlight. However, it remains uncertain whether established theoretical frameworks are still applicable in today’s rapidly changing world. In response to this uncertainty, this debate section brings together five short reflection pieces, with a response from Frank Schimmelfennig, to assess the relevance of the theory of ‘rhetorical action’ in light of recent developments in European and international politics. How effectively does rhetorical action explain current EU and NATO enlargement processes, as well as broader forms of international cooperation? The authors find strong overall support for the theory’s continued validity. However, they caution that the increasing politicisation of issues, the rising competition from populist, non-liberal forces, and the broader crisis of the Liberal International Order require more careful reflection and specification of the scope conditions that define the theory’s limits.