Why have European leaders repeatedly advocated an EU defence capacity yet so often fallen short of their ambitions, and how does EU defence function alongside NATO? Focusing on three defining periods of EU defence integration (1999, 2004, and 2016), this paper draws on archival material and elite interviews to reassess when and why integration advances. Building on insights from psychological approaches in International Relations, it shows that major institutional steps tend to cluster around moments of acute political strain rather than clear shifts in the external threat environment.

Sergey Radchenko is the Wilson E. Schmidt Distinguished Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. He has written extensively on the Cold War, nuclear history, and on Russian and Chinese foreign and security policies. He has served as a Global Fellow and a Public Policy Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Centre and as the Zi Jiang Distinguished Professor at East China Normal University (Shanghai).

The Oxford Iranian Society and the OxMEND Society (Oxford for Middle Eastern Narratives and Discourse) are delighted to invite you to a movie night.
Register here: https://forms.gle/zSzorm86tjeZ2mGp9

This conference honours the memory of Patrick McCarthy—Pembroke alumnus, Johns Hopkins SAIS Bologna professor, and a penetrating scholar of European politics, culture, and political economy. McCarthy's work cut across disciplines and genres, moving from literature to economics with a keen eye for liminal figures, the politics of sexuality and language, and the intersections of sport, culture, and power.

Postgraduate students, fellows, staff and faculty from any discipline are welcome. This group aims to foster frequent interdisciplinary critical dialogue across Oxford and beyond about the political impacts of emerging technologies.

Please contact Callum Harvey (callum.harvey@oii.ox.ac.uk) in advance to participate or with any questions. Attendance is online only. You do not currently have to be affiliated with the University of Oxford to attend and participate in discussions.

Postgraduate students, fellows, staff and faculty from any discipline are welcome. This group aims to foster frequent interdisciplinary critical dialogue across Oxford and beyond about the political impacts of emerging technologies.

Please contact Callum Harvey (callum.harvey@oii.ox.ac.uk) in advance to participate or with any questions. Attendance is online only. You do not currently have to be affiliated with the University of Oxford to attend and participate in discussions.