ABSTRACT
This chapter takes a close look at the conceptual development of normative power and diffusion literature and discusses the relationship between the two. By reconceptualizing normative power through the lens of transnational diffusion theory, this chapter not only provides a conceptual basis for the arguments and discussions in the book but also establishes a framework for the empirical chapters. Viewing the European Union’s (EU’s) normative power projection through the lens of transnational diffusion literature permits the establishment of a more sophisticated analytical framework that is easier to operationalize in empirical case studies. Specifically, this chapter revisits the criteria of normative power by interrogating the definitions of norm and norm-cluster. Besides, it offers a nuanced understanding of sender-driven and recipient-driven diffusion mechanisms, as well as the effectiveness of norm and policy diffusion. Bridging research traditions from European studies and international relations helps to overcome the conceptual limitations of the conventional EU-as-a-power debate and facilitates the exploration of the complex norm diffusion process between norm-taker and norm-recipient.
