Date of Graduation
Spring 2012
Degree
Master of Science in Defense and Strategic Studies
Department
Defense and Strategic Studies
Committee Chair
Andrei Shoumikhin
Abstract
This thesis studies the current state of the EU as an integrated unit. Research was conducted using scholarly journals and key media reports. The central hypothesis is that the EU currently faces challenges which must be overcome to preserve EU integration, defensive capabilities, and relevancy in world affairs. The thesis looks at the sovereign debt crisis and determines that the EU must further centralize economic power. The thesis looks at various political challenges and concludes that the EU should continue engagement with Turkey and must establish uniform policies to facilitate integration of immigrants while avoiding domestic radicalization. The NATO alliance must be reaffirmed and not undermined by the creation of a separate EU security force.
Keywords
European Union, sovereign debt crisis, immigration, missile defense, borders, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Russia, United States
Subject Categories
Defense and Security Studies
Copyright
© Bryan Patrick DeWinter
Recommended Citation
DeWinter, Bryan Patrick, "The European Union at the Start of the 21St Century: An Examination of Challenges in the Context of EU Integration" (2012). MSU Graduate Theses/Dissertations. 1363.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1363
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