Lessons from the EU

This online remote lecture connected Yonsei University, Keio University, Fudan University, and Tsuba University through a video conference. The students were able to attend Prof. Manners’ lecture from four different locations simultaneously. The project was undertaken through the initiative of the Keio EU Centre.

In his lecture, Prof. Manners spoke of the post-Cold war era, the definition of normative power, the influence of the EU in the next ten years, and the lessons to be learned from this. First, he defined normative power to be one of the three principal types of power along with hard and soft power. Then he elaborated the nine areas in which the normative power of the European Union was influential, namely sustainable peace, freedom, democracy, human rights, rule of law, equality, social solidarity, sustainable development, and good governance. These are the areas in which the European Union is able to lead the debate and persuade or attract other nations to join and follow the EU’s actions.

The lecture led to a lively discussion between the students of the four universities that attended and the lecturer.