Thesis

The EU and child protection in Romania : accession conditionality and feedback effects

Creator
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Awarding institution
  • University of Strathclyde
Date of award
  • 2009
Thesis identifier
  • T12477
Qualification Level
Qualification Name
Department, School or Faculty
Abstract
  • This research examines how and to what extent the intervention of the EU in child protection in Romania, as part of the EU political accession conditionality, had feedback effects and unanticipated consequences on the EU itself. This thesis illustrates that EU intervention in child protection in Romania went well beyond the EU’s internal role and mandate in children’s rights in relation to member states, which is consistent with the export of an EU-topia in this field. The EU’s intervention in Romanian child protection forged substantial legislative and institutional changes and generated the overhaul of the entire child protection system. The breadth and depth of EU intervention in Romanian human rights was not confined to the high-profile issue of child protection, but included a wide range of human rights areas. This thesis demonstrates that EU intervention in child protection in Romania has resulted in significant feedback effects on EU external and internal human rights dimensions. The feedback effects on EU children’s rights policy shape the form and content of an emerging EU human rights regime, which also includes policy developments in areas such as Roma inclusion, mental health and disability. In the light of a historical institutionalist analysis, it is demonstrated that the feedback effects of the child protection conditionality applied to Romania have led to the EU’s beginning to import the EU-topia, developed initially for export, in the area of children’s rights, which also had unanticipated consequences for the role and function of EU institutions in relation to this policy area. These feedback effects engendered the normalisation and institutionalisation of the EU institutions’ role and scope in children’s rights. To this end, the gap between external and internal EU involvement with children’s rights has begun to bridge.
Advisor / supervisor
  • Cram, Laura
Resource Type
DOI
Embargo Note
  • THIS THESIS IS UNDER MORATORIUM. IT WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR LOAN OR CONSULTATION UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

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