The Value of European Solidarity Within the Dublin Regulation : An Investigation on the Evolution of the Concept
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Summary, in English
The refugee crisis that occurred in 2015 proved to be a historical failure for the Dublin Regulation, and it demonstrated both to policymakers and public opinion that the account of solidarity upheld was strongly outdated. If the European Union truly is a community based on shared values, then axiological changes should also result in institutional changes.
Acknowledging that no radical transformation of the account of solidarity has occurred since then, the aim of the following thesis is to investigate the extent to which the concept of European solidarity has evolved within the Dublin Regulation, adopted in 1997 and later amended in 2003 and 2013. Addressing this research question means investigating the phenomena of institutional variation and stagnation, for what concerns the concept of solidarity. Moreover, it is argued here that the results attained by the research may also orientate future strategies of revision.
With this in mind, the research adopted the institutional theory of Evolutionary Institutionalism (EI). Compared to the traditional theories of Rational Choice Institutionalism (RCI) and Historical Institutionalism (HI), EI is regarded as better suited for addressing the research question.
Following the introduction of the concept of solidarity (Chapter I), the theory (Chapter II) and the methodology (Chapter III), Chapter IV investigates the findings of the research: the evolution of the Dublin Regulation’s content, together with an analysis of its factors of development. Chapter V, instead, studies the evolution of solidarity, and applies the EI’s theoretical lenses to the institutional setting of the Dublin Regulation.
In terms of results, the following research will demonstrate that, despite having achieved material progress in ensuring solidarity, the Dublin system is still deficient. Nevertheless, this does not confute the fact that an evolution of the concept occurred, as displayed by the fracture emerged between the ‘official’ account of solidarity, upheld by the Regulation, and a ‘substratum’ of background papers and documents, behind it. Furthermore, the research will provide an explanation for institutional stagnation, by detecting an unbalance of power and a lack of interaction between the European Council and the European Commission.
Acknowledging that no radical transformation of the account of solidarity has occurred since then, the aim of the following thesis is to investigate the extent to which the concept of European solidarity has evolved within the Dublin Regulation, adopted in 1997 and later amended in 2003 and 2013. Addressing this research question means investigating the phenomena of institutional variation and stagnation, for what concerns the concept of solidarity. Moreover, it is argued here that the results attained by the research may also orientate future strategies of revision.
With this in mind, the research adopted the institutional theory of Evolutionary Institutionalism (EI). Compared to the traditional theories of Rational Choice Institutionalism (RCI) and Historical Institutionalism (HI), EI is regarded as better suited for addressing the research question.
Following the introduction of the concept of solidarity (Chapter I), the theory (Chapter II) and the methodology (Chapter III), Chapter IV investigates the findings of the research: the evolution of the Dublin Regulation’s content, together with an analysis of its factors of development. Chapter V, instead, studies the evolution of solidarity, and applies the EI’s theoretical lenses to the institutional setting of the Dublin Regulation.
In terms of results, the following research will demonstrate that, despite having achieved material progress in ensuring solidarity, the Dublin system is still deficient. Nevertheless, this does not confute the fact that an evolution of the concept occurred, as displayed by the fracture emerged between the ‘official’ account of solidarity, upheld by the Regulation, and a ‘substratum’ of background papers and documents, behind it. Furthermore, the research will provide an explanation for institutional stagnation, by detecting an unbalance of power and a lack of interaction between the European Council and the European Commission.
Department/s
Publishing year
2021
Language
English
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Document type
Student publication for Master's degree (two years)
Topic
- Law and Political Science
Keywords
- Solidarity
- Values
- Institutional Theories
- Dublin Regulation
- Migration & Asylum policy
- Institutional Evolution
- Refugee crisis
- European studies
Supervisor
- Ryszard Bobrowicz