Oxford debate: “EU and its policy of democracy promotion and human rights protection: The case of Belarus”

Group 1 (Tessa Nynke Speelman, Simon Stickelmann, Anika Uthleb and Froukje Zuidema) prepares, develops and explains 5 arguments why EU policy towards Belarus (critical engagement and restrictions towards Lukashenka`s regime) is wrong. Group 1 could also present recommendations, how the EU should revise this policy

Group 2 (Michiel Bastiaan C. Nanninga, Kristina Olausson and Ina Schmidt) prepares, develops and explains arguments, why EU policy towards Belarus (critical engagement and restrictions towards Lukashenka`s regime) is good and efficient (arguments supporting this stance, particular examples, what should be preserved for the future and why).

Group 3 (Dominic Berkeley, Jennifer Frances Birch, Benedetta Fasciani and Rianne Keeler) serves as jury – summarizes both positions and decides whose arguments were better. 

Groups may also use PPT presentation for presenting their arguments.

Written version of the group positions (in doc. format, min. 5000 characters long) should be submitted to the Information system (Submitted student work).

Deadline: March 19 (written positions of the opposing groups) and March 22 (written position of the jury)

For other details concerning the group debates, please, see the Syllabus of the course. For materials see the folder "Materials - Group debate 2" in Study materials (Assigned Reading).

Readings (Materials for Group debate 2):

• Ditrych, O. (2013): Good cop or bad cop? Sanctioning Belarus. European Union Institute for Security Studies, March 2013. (Total 4 pages)
• Nice, A. (2012): Playing Both Sides: Belarus between Russia and the EU, DGAP analyse, March 2012, Nr. 2. (Total 18 pages)
• Korosteleva, E. (2012): The European Union and its Eastern Neighbours. Towards a more ambitious partnership? London: Routledge, pp. 61 – 81. (Total 21 pages)
• Rotman, D., Veremeeva, N. (2012): Belarus in the Context of the Neigbourhood Policy: Between the EU and Russia. In Korosteleva (ed.; 2012): Eastern Partnership: A New Opportunity for the Neighbours, London: Routledge, pp. 75 – 100. (Total 36 pages)
• Youngs, R. (2014): Europe and Belarus in Changing Times. Carnegie Moscow Center. Eurasia Outlook, September 18, 2014. (http://carnegie.ru/eurasiaoutlook/?fa=56669) (Total 1 page)

• Recommended:
• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (2014): Belarus. On-line: http://carnegieendowment.org/search/?fa=searchResults&qry=Belarus
• European Union. External Action (2015): Belarus. On-line: http://eeas.europa.eu/belarus/index_en.htm
• Nygren, B. (2010): The Rebuilding of Greater Russia. Putin´s foreign policy towards the CIS countries. London: Routledge, pp. 66 – 81.