Academic Career

2007-Present:   Lecturer in European Politics and Society, NUI Maynooth2001-2007:        Lecturer in European Politics, University of Limerick
2004-2006:        IRCHSS Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Limerick
2005:                   Visiting Fellow: EU Institute for Security Studies, Paris
2000-2001:        Visiting Fellow, Varna Economics University, Bulgaria
 

Research Interests

EU Enlargement – process and politics; the EU and the Western Balkans; European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP); Turkey and the EU.

Enlargement and Conditionality; Social Constructivism and European Integration;

Ireland and the European Union; Ireland and the Lisbon Treaty.

National Parliaments and European Integration: oversight, scrutiny and control of the EU within domestic parliaments.

Publications

I Monographs
O’Brennan, J., 2011 (December). The EU and the Western Balkans: Stabilization and Europeanization through Enlargement? Abingdon: Routledge, http://www.amazon.co.uk/Western-Balkans-Stabilization-Europeanization-Enlargement/dp/0415426081

O' Brennan, J., 2008. Ireland and the Lisbon Treaty: Quo Vadis? CEPS Policy Brief No. 175, Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies Policy Brief, 23 October 2008; http://shop.ceps.eu/BookDetail.php?item_id=1741 ;

O’Brennan, J. and Raunio, T., (eds), 2007, National Parliaments within the Enlarged European Union: from ‘Victims’ of Integration to Competitive Actors? Abingdon: Routledge, http://www.routledge.com/9780415399357

O’Brennan, J., 2006, The Eastern Enlargement of the European Union, Abingdon: Routledge, http://www.amazon.com/Enlargement-Empirical-Conceptual-Institutional-Routledge/dp/0415361265 

  II Refereed Journal Articles

O’Brennan, J., 2011, ‘Whither the Western Balkans? The European Commission, Civil Society and Enlarging the EU normative community’ (currently under review)

O’Brennan, J. and Carroll, J., 2011, ‘The Oireachtas Committee on European Affairs: another ‘victim’ of the European Integration Process? (currently under review).

O' Brennan, J., 2009. 'Ireland says No (again): the 12 June 2008 Referendum on the Lisbon Treaty', Parliamentary Affairs, Volume 62, Number 2, April, pp.258-77.

O’Brennan, J. and Gassie, E., 2009, ‘From stabilisation to consolidation: Albanian state capacity and adaptation to European Union rules’, Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies, Volume 11, Number 2, pp.61-82.

O’ Brennan, J., 2008. ‘The EU in the western Balkans: Statebuilding as Empire? A Rejoinder to Professor David Chandler’, Global Society, Volume 22, Number 4, October, pp.507-18.

O’ Brennan, J., 2008. ‘EU-Deja vu: Ireland's No to Lisbon’, The Federalist Debate, Volume XXI, Number 3, November, pp.5-11.

O’Brennan, J., 2006, ‘Bringing Geopolitics back in: Exploring the Security Dimension of the 2004 Eastern Enlargement of the European Union’, Cambridge Review of International Affairs, Volume 19, I, March, pp.155-169.

O’Brennan, J., 2004. ‘Ireland’s National Forum on Europe: Elite Deliberation meets Popular Participation’, Journal of European Integration, Volume 26, Number 2, June, pp.167-182.

O’ Brennan, J., 2003. ‘Gaining Consent to the European Constitution – Lessons from the Irish Referendum Experience’, The Federalist Debate, Volume XV, No.2, June, pp.6-10.

O’ Brennan, J., 2003. ’Ireland's Return to ‘Normal’ EU Voting Patterns: The 2002 Nice Treaty Referendum’, European Political Science, Volume 2, Number 2, Spring, pp.5-14.

O' Brennan, J., 2002. ‘Enlargement as a Factor in the Irish Referendum on the Nice Treaty’, Perceptions: Journal of International Affairs, Volume VII, Number III, September-November 2002, pp.78-94.

O’ Brennan, J., 2002. ‘EU Enlargement to Central and Eastern Europe: The Normative Dimension’, Perspectives on Central and Eastern Europe, Volume 1, Number 1, pp.163-186.

 III Book Chapters and Other Academic Articles

O’Brennan, J., 2011. ‘Enlargement, Europeanization and Turkey: theoretical insights from the Enlargement Debate’, in Nas, C. (Ed.), The Europeanization of Turkey, (Aldershot: Ashgate).

O’Brennan, 2011. ‘Executive Power versus parliamentary oversight’: Ireland’s domestic management of EU Decision-making’, in Tonra, B. (ed.), Foreign Policy in the Republic of Ireland, Dublin: Royal Irish Academy.

O’Brennan, J., 2011. ‘The European Commission, transnational Advocacy and civil society in the Western Balkans’, in Kostovica, D. and Ker-Lindsey, J., London: Routledge.

O’Brennan, J., 2011. ‘The EU Enlargement Process after 1989: Actors, Institutions, and Literature’, in Wolfgang Mueller (Ed.), Handbook of the 1989 Revolutions, London: Sage.

‘Ireland and Europe in the heat of crisis’, Europe’s World, Feb 2011.

O’Brennan, J., 2010. ‘Ireland and the European Union: Modes of Adaptation and Contestation’, in John Hogan (ed.) Ireland: Business and Society, Dublin: Gill and MacMillan, pp.379-97.

‘Ireland’s Existential Crisis: a contrary view’, Open Democracy, 6 December 2010, http://www.opendemocracy.net/john-obrennan/ireland%E2%80%99s-existential-crisis-contrary-view

‘Ireland’s European Referendum: second take, high stake’, Open Democracy, 30 September 2009, http://www.opendemocracy.net/article/ireland-s-european-referendum-second-take-high-stake

O’Brennan, J., 2009. ‘Ireland’s Second Referendum on the Lisbon Treaty’, Europe’s World, Spring.

O’Brennan, J., 2008. ‘Ireland’s Plan to Resurrect the Lisbon Treaty to be Unveiled at Brussels Summit’, CEPS Commentary, December, Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies, http://shop.ceps.eu/BookDetail.php?item_id=1763

O' Brennan, J., 2008. 'Ireland and Lisbon: Quo Vadis? CEPS Policy Brief No. 175, Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies Policy Brief, 23 October 2008, http://shop.ceps.eu/BookDetail.php?item_id=1741 Subsequently carried by the International Relations and Security Newtork, ETH Zurich, http://www.isn.ethz.ch/isn/Current-Affairs/Policy-Briefs/Detail/?lng=en&id=93374

O’Brennan, J., 2008, ‘Периодический научный журнал: Право и Политология, № 4, 2008, с.6-13.

‘Kosovo: the Hour of Europe’, Open Democracy, 14 January 2008, http://www.opendemocracy.net/article/conflicts/kosovo_hour_of_europe (Syndicated worldwide)

O’Brennan, J. and Raunio, T., 2007, ‘Introduction: Deparliamentarization through European Integration?’, in O’ Brennan, J. and Raunio, T., (eds), National Parliaments within the Enlarged European Union: from ‘Victims’ of Integration to Competitive Actors? Abingdon: Routledge, pp.1-19.

O’Brennan, J. and Raunio, T., 2007, ‘National Parliaments within the EU: Finally Learning to play the game? In O’ Brennan, J. and Raunio, T., (eds), National Parliaments within the Enlarged European Union: from ‘Victims’ of Integration to Competitive Actors? Abingdon: Routledge, pp.245-261.

O’Brennan, J., 2005 ‘The National Forum on Europe’, in Holmes, M. (ed.) Ireland and the European Union Post-Nice, Manchester: Manchester University Press, pp.114-132.

O’Brennan, J., 2003. ‘Gaining the Consent of EU Citizens: the Constitutional Ratification Problem facing the European Union’, in Karasińska-Fendler, M. (ed.), Enlargement and EU Constitution-Building, Lodz, Poland: European Institute, pp.53-58.

O’ Brennan, J., 2002. ‘The Need for a Code of Conduct and the Regulation of Members’ Interests’, 2002. Interim Report of the IACDD and OSCE Review of the Parliamentary Procedures of the Republic of Serbia, IACDD/OSCE, Belgrade, 29 March, pp.64-72.

O’ Brennan, J., 2001. ‘A Social Constructivist Perspective on Enlargement’, in, Levrat, N. and Willa, P. (eds.), EU External Capability and Influence in International Relations, Instiut Europeene de l'Universite de Geneve and ECPR, Geneva, pp.161-187.
Link: http://www.unige.ch/ieug/B6__O%27Brennan.pdf

O’ Brennan, J., 2001. ‘Ireland and the EU: 25 Years of Membership’, in, Yaminova, Y. (ed.), Europe: Globalization and Regionalization, Scholle Press, Bulgaria, pp.37-48.

O’ Brennan, J., 1998. ‘EU Enlargement to Central and Eastern Europe: Why the Revolution in Numbers Requires an Institutional Revolution’, University of Limerick Political and Economic Review (ULPER), Volume 3, pp.155-76.
 

 IV Book Reviews 
O’Brennan, J., 2011. Review of Nadya Nedelsky, Defining the Sovereign Community: the Czech and Slovak Experiences, in Political Studies, Volume in press

O’Brennan, J., 2010. Review of Markus Kornprobst, Irredentism in European Politics: Argumentation, Compromise and Norms’, in Political Studies, Volume in press

O’ Brennan, J., 2008. Review of Beate Sissenich, Building States without Society: European Union Enlargement and the Transfer of EU Social Policy to Poland and Hungary, in Slavic Review, Volume 67, Number 2.

O’Brennan, J., 2007 , Review of Sonia Lucarelli and Ian Manners (eds), Values and Principles in European Union Foreign Policy, Abingdon: Routledge, in Journal of Common Market Studies, Volume 45, Number 2, June, p. 515.

O’Brennan, J., 2007, Review of Tonny Brems Knudsden and Carstan Bagge Laustsen (eds), Kosovo between War and Peace, Abingdon: Routledge, in Millennium, Volume 35, Number 2.

O’Brennan, J, 2007, Review of Osamu Idea (ed.) Beyond Sovereignty: From Status Law to Transnational Citizenship? Hokkaido: Slavic Research Centre, in Slavic Review, Volume 66, Number 3, p.532.

O’Brennan, J., 2006. Review of Erik Oddvar Eriksen (ed), Making the European Polity: Reflexive Integration in the EU. Abingdon: Routledge, in Political Studies, Volume 4, Issue 3, September, p.348.

O’Brennan, J. 2006. ‘Eastern Enlargement of the EU: Conditionality, Europeanisation and Expansion’, Review of recent volumes by Neil Nugent (ed.), European Union Enlargement, and Frank Schimmelfennig and Ulrich Sedelmeier (eds), The Europeanization of Central and Eastern Europe, in Millennium, Volume 34, No.2, p.1024-26,

O’ Brennan, J., 1999. Review of Neil Collins (Ed.), Political Issues in Ireland Today, in Irish Political Studies, Volume 14, pp.174-6.
 

V Newspapers and Media (Selected)

Interview with the Times of Malta, on the Irish economic crisis, 15 November 2010; http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20101126/business/euro-crisis-from-tiger-to-pussycat

Panelist, the Dunphy Show, Newstalk, 31 October 2010; http://www.newstalk.ie/programmes/all/the-dunphy-show/

Interview with BBC World Service on the Kosovo issue; 23 July 2010, http://www.bbc.co.uk/serbian/news

Interview with the Sunday Times, on the European External Action Service and Ireland’s embassies abroad, 14 March 2010; http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article7061028.ece

Interview with BBC World Service on the situation in the Western Balkans, 8 March 2010: http://www.bbc.co.uk/serbian/news/2010/03/100309_brdo_pundit.shtml

Guest appearance on Tonight with Vincent Browne ON Anniversary of Fall of Berlin Wall, TV3, 9 November 2009.
 

Interview with the Times of Malta on the Lisbon Treaty and European Security, 26 October 2009.

Interview with TVM Malta on the Lisbon Treaty, 24 October 2009.

Interview with NET TV Malta on the Lisbon Treaty, 24 October 2009.

Interview with France24 Television on the Lisbon Treaty referendum, 5 October 2009.

Interview on the Lisbon Treaty referendum with Pravda (Slovakia), 2 October 2009.

‘Ireland decides for a second time’, The Times of Malta, 2 October 2009, http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20091002/opinion/ireland-decides-for-a-second-time

‘Irelanders get to decide fate of Lisbon Treaty’, Khaleej Times, 2 October 2009, http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=/data/opinion/2009/October/opinion_October6.xml&section=opinion

Interview with Press Association on Lisbon Referendum, 1 October 2009.

‘Ireland Decides, again’, Macau Daily Times, 1 October 2009, http://www.macaudailytimes.com.mo/foreign-desk/4305-Ireland-Decides-Again.html

‘Fate of EU Hanging in Balance as Irish head to polls’, The Scotsman, 1 October 2009, http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/Fate-of-EU-hanging-in.5693597.jp

‘Ireland to go to the polls Again’, The Brunei Times, 1 October 2009, http://www.bt.com.bn/en/opinion/2009/10/01/ireland-goes-polls-again

 Ireland Decides Again’, Al Watan, 1 October 2009, http://alwatandaily.alwatan.com.kw/Default.aspx?MgDid=800361&pageId=522

‘Napětí roste. Evropa čeká, jak se rozhodnou Irové’, Dnes (Czech Republic), 1 October 2009, http://zpravy.idnes.cz/napeti-roste-evropa-ceka-jak-se-rozhodnou-irove-f5k-/kavarna.asp?c=A091001_170448_kavarna_bos

‘Ireland Decides, again’. Jordan Times, 30 September 2009, http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=20318

‘Irlanda Decide otra vez’, El Pais, 30 September 2009, http://www.elpais.com/articulo/opinion/Irlanda/decide/vez/elpepuopi/20090930elpepiopi_4/Tes

‘Irish voters weigh the Lisbon Treaty again’, the Japan Times, 30 September 2009, http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/eo20090930a2.html

‘Irlanda Decide otra vez’. Bitacorrs Almendron, 30 September 2009, http://www.almendron.com/tribuna/27106/irlanda-decide-otra-vez/

‘Ireland Decides, again’, Today’s Zaman, 29 September 2009, http://todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-188303-ireland-decides-again.html

‘Future of the EU hangs on vote in Ireland on Friday’, Taipei Times, 29 September 2009, http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2009/09/29/2003454711

‘Ireland decides, again’, the Daily News Egypt, 29 September 2009, http://www.thedailynewsegypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=24819

‘Ireland to decide again on EU Treaty’, Daum, 29 September 2009, http://media.daum.net/foreign/englishnews/view.html?cateid=1047&newsid=20090929021523465&p=koreaherald

‘Anxious EU’s Future at stake’, The Australian, 29 September 2009, http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26136387-7583,00.html

‘Ireland to decide again on EU Treaty’, Korea Herald, 28 September 2009, http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2009/09/29/200909290003.asp

Ireland votes, again’, Buenos Aires Herald, 28 September 2009, http://www.buenosairesherald.com/PrintedEdition/View/12994

‘Irish voters decide a second time’, the Gulf Times, 26 September 2009, http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=316741&version=1&template_id=46&parent_id=26

'Ireland votes, again’, Burma Digest, 25 September 2009, http://burmadigest.info/2009/09/25/ireland-decides-again/

Interview on the Lisbon Treaty Referendum with BBC Radio 4 The Westminster Hour, 20 September 2009, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/the_westminster_hour/8268674.stm

Interview with Limerick Leader on Lisbon Treaty Campaign, 29 August 2009.

Interview with Radio Live 95fm on Local and European Elections, 8 June 2009.

 Interview with Limerick Leader on Local and European elections, 8 June 2009.

 ‘The Irish Think Again about the Lisbon Treaty’, China Daily, 12 December 2008, http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2008-12/12/content_7297178.htm

Interview with the Press Association about the European Council Summit, 10 December 2008.

‘Ireland must vote on whether we remain a member of the EU’, The Irish Times, 9 December 2008, http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2008/1209/1228571686276.html

Interview with Czech Daily Hospodarske noviny on the European Council Summit meeting, 9 December 2008.

‘Will Ireland say Yes to Lisbon? The Guardian (Comment is Free), 8 December 2008, http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/dec/08/ireland-lisbon-treaty

‘The Irish Think Again about the Lisbon Treaty’, the Gulf Times, 8 December 2008, http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=259358&version=1&template_id=46&parent_id=26

‘The Irish Think Again about the Lisbon Treaty’, Today’s Zaman, 7 December 2008, http://todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=160864

‘The Irish Think Again about the Lisbon Treaty’, The Guatemala Times, 5 December 2008, http://www.guatemala-times.com/opinion/163-europe-at-home-and-abroad/605-the-irish-think-again-about-the-lisbon-treaty.html

'‘Ireland’s Lisbon Trauma Continues…..with no end in sight’, Threemonkeysonline.com, 21 November 2008, http://www.threemonkeysonline.com/tmo_article.php?pid=444

‘Reflections on a Second Irish Lisbon Referendum’, EurActiv.com, 10 November 2008, http://www.euractiv.com/en/future-eu/reflecting-second-irish-lisbon-referendum/article-177003

Interview with Deutsche Welle Radio on the fallout from the Irish rejection of the Lisbon Treaty, 25 September 2008.

Interview with BBC World Service on EU-Serbian relations in the aftermath of the arrest of Radovan Karazdic, 30 June 2008, http://www.bbc.co.uk/serbian/news/2008/07/080731_eu_serbia.shtml

Interview with Chinese State Television, CCTV-9 on the Irish rejection of the Lisbon Treaty, 19 June 2008.

‘Ireland Votes, Europe awaits result’, The Korea Herald, 12 June 2008, http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/archives/result_contents.asp

‘Europe anxiously awaits the results of Ireland’s Vote’, The Daily Star (Lebanon), 12 June 2008, http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=5&article_id=93010

‘Ireland Votes, Europe Waits’, Buenos Aires Herald, 12 June 2008, http://www.buenosairesherald.com/classifieds/heading.jsp

‘With Europe waiting, Ireland votes on Treaty’, the Japan Times, 11 June 2008, http://search.japantimes.co.jp/rss/eo20080611a1.html

‘Ireland Votes, Europe Waits’, The Daily News Egypt, 11 June 2008, http://www.thedailynewsegypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=14340

‘Ireland Votes, Europe Waits’, The Jordan Times, 10 June 2008; http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=8490

‘Everything to play for in the Final Run-up to Ireland’s referendum’, the Scotsman, 9 June 2008, http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/comment?articleid=4163942

‘Ireland Votes, Europe Waits’, Ziua (Romania), 9 June 2008,http://www.ziua.ro/display.php?data=2008-06-09&id=238513

‘Der Musterknabe Wamkt’, Die Welt, 8 June 2008, http://debatte.welt.de/kommentare/75731/der+musterknabe+wankt

‘Ireland Votes, Europe Waits’, the Burma Digest, 7 June 2008, http://burmadigest.wordpress.com/

‘Ireland Votes, Europe Waits’, The Guardian, 6 June 2008, http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jun/06/ireland.eu?gusrc=rss&feed=worldnews

‘Serbia’s Choice’, Turkish Weekly, 23 January 2008.

Interview with BBC World Service Radio on Serbian Presidential Elections, 22 January 2008,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/serbian/news/2008/01/080122_serbia_elex_gas.shtml

‘Serbia’s Choice’, Daily Times (Pakistan), 18 January 2008,
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008%5C01%5C18%5Cstory_18-1-2008_pg3_4

‘Serbia’s Choice’, Mmegi (Botswana), 18 January 2008.

‘Serbia to Choose EU Orbit or Isolation’, the Japan Times, 18 January 2008,
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/eo20080118a1.html

‘Serbia to Choose EU Orbit or Isolation’, Iceland News, 18 January 2008.

‘Alte Kräfte drängen Serbien in die Isolation’, Die Welt, 18 January 2008,
http://debatte.welt.de/kommentare/56442/alte+kraefte+draengen+serbien+in+die+isolation

‘Serbia’s Choice’, Macau Daily Times, 18 January 2008.

‘Serbia’s Choice’, The Bangladesh Independent, 18 January 2008.

‘Srbská Volba’, Sme (Slovakia), 18 January 2008.

‘La Opción de Serbia’, El Tiempo (Colombia), 18 January 2008, http://www.eltiempo.com/opinion/columnistas/otroscolumnistas/ARTICULO-WEB-NOTA_INTERIOR-3922746.html

‘Serbia’s Choice: A Prosperous Future or an Obsessive Past?’ The Daily Star (Lebanon), 17 January 2008.

‘Вибір Сербії’, Den (Ukraine),  17 January 2008, http://www.day.kiev.ua/194709/

‘La Opción de Serbia’, La Prensa (Panama), 17 January 2008,
http://www.prensa.com/hoy/perspectiva/1237349.html

‘Kosovo: the Hour of Europe’, Open Democracy, 14 January 2008,
http://www.opendemocracy.net/article/conflicts/kosovo_hour_of_europe (Syndicated worldwide)

Interview with RTE Nuacht/TG4 on Kosovo’s impending independence, 11 January 2008.

Interview with Myles Dungan, RTE Radio One Drivetime Programme on Kosovo, 3 January 2008.

Interview on Turkey and the EU with George Hook, The Right Hook, NEWSTALK, 15 December 2007.

Interview with Pat Kenny on Turkish-EU Relations, Today with Pat Kenny, RTE Radio One, 28 September 2005.

O’Brennan, J., ‘EU Offer Would Boost Reform in Turkey’, the Irish Times, 28 September 2005.

O’Brennan, J., ‘EU Must not Turn Away from Further Enlargement’, Three Monkeys Online, June 2005
http://www.threemonkeysonline.com/als/_eu_enlargement_endangered_european_union.html.

O’Brennan, J., ‘EU Finally to Say Yes to Turkey?’ Three Monkeys Online, November 2004
http://www.threemonkeysonline.com/threemon_article_accession_negotiations_Turkey_European_Union_EU.htm.

O’Brennan, J., ‘Kosovo’ (comment), International Herald Tribune, 6 April 2004.

O’Brennan, J., ‘Kosovo: Can Sharing of Power Ever Work? the Irish Times, 30 March 2004,
http://www.mfa.gov.yu/FDP/ireland300304_e.html

O’Brennan, J., ‘Leadership Vacuum at heart of EU Exposed’, the Irish Times, 17 December 2003,
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/opinion/2003/1217/1071532690235.html

Interview with Midlands Radio on the Nice Treaty, 28 September 2002.

Interview with Radio Limerick on the Nice Treaty, 26 May 2001.
 

Current Research

EU Enlargement to South East Europe

Building upon research conducted for my book on the EU’s eastern enlargement, my main research focus at the moment is on the next phase of EU enlargement, particularly South East Europe and its developing relationship with the European Union. Encompassing mainly the Western Balkans region, the research examines, amongst other issues, the ‘Europeanization’ of the policy process in those states, the difficulties experienced in transposing the Union’s acquis communautaire, and the impact of ‘Europe’ on inter -state relations in the region. I will publish one article in the European Foreign Affairs Review on the role of EU norms in influencing change in Eastern and South Eastern Europe through enlargement structures. In addition I have a number of co-authored articles currently under review. I have also developed a wider set of themes relating to the EUs South Eastern enlargement process and am currently writing a monograph on the subject for Routledge. The themes explored include: EU influence on democracy promotion and institutional diffusion, geopolitical relations, inter-ethnic reconciliation, and economic development within the region. I expect the monograph to be completed and sent to the publisher by April 2011 with publication envisaged in late 2011. Finally, I was an invited speaker at a major conference commemorating the twentieth anniversary of the 1989 ‘Velvet’ Revolutions, organised by the Austrian Academy of Sciences, scheduled for October 2009 at the University of Vienna. The paper I presented is organized under the theme of ‘Normative Power Europe, EU self-understanding and the post 1989 Enlargement process’ and will be published in a Sage volume on the 1989 revolutions in 2011.

National Parliaments within the Enlarged European Union: from ‘Victims of Integration to Competitive Actors?’
This project builds on an earlier comparative study of the dynamics of parliamentary oversight procedures relating to EU public policy-making. The project was instituted with a successful workshop that brought together specialist academic lawyers and political scientists at the University of Limerick on 21 May 2004. The workshop attracted funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs ‘Communicating Europe’ initiative, UACES, and the University of Limerick. I co-edited the volume with Professor Tapio Raunio of the University of Turku, Finland and Routledge published the book in April 2007. It was the first study to incorporate analysis of both old and new member states of the European Union along with an original comparative section focused on the control, oversight and scrutiny functions employed by national legislatures within the European policy-making process. Developing themes explored in that volume I am now working with a research assistant on Irish approaches to scrutiny of EU legislation and conducting interviews with policymakers this summer focused on the work of the Irish Parliament’s Committee on European Affairs. Publication will be sought in the Journal of Legislative Studies or Democratization in 2011. The project specifically seeks to examine whether Oireachtas’ scrutiny of Irish governmental decisions relating to the EU has improved in recent years.
 

VII Future Research Plans 2010-2015

There are two core areas of research planned for the medium term. These are:

Norms, Values and Identity within an Enlarged and Enlarging EU
This stream of research will build upon my current work on identity, norms and values within the EU by examining ‘self-other’ conceptualizations in the context of further patterns of enlargement and norm penetration of external states. This will be applied in particular to the EU’s accession negotiations with Turkey and the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). Enlargement changes not just the economic, geopolitical and social nature of the EU as an entity but continues to shape notions of Europe and Europeanness, of what the EU is and should be in international politics. With substantive accession negotiations underway with Turkey and demands for an ‘accession perspective’ being made by Georgia, Ukraine and other states, the question of EU identity and values comes under the spotlight in a much more pronounced way than ever before. Using constructivist approaches to phenomena such as speech acts, normative legitimating processes, and identity discourses, the research will seek to contribute to the self- other debate in IR and European Studies and explicate the changing dynamics of EU conceptualizations of identity. A number of journal articles will be prepared for publication on these themes. I also want to develop a textbook on the process and politics of EU enlargement which will compare and contrast the dynamics and evolution of successive enlargement rounds. There is a major gap in the market for such an enlargement textbook and my intention is to use a sabbatical break in 2011 or 2012 to prepare such a text. A major publisher will be sought from Palgrave, Routledge and OUP with publication envisaged for 2012-13.

Irish Perspectives on the European Union
A second stream of research will build on my earlier work on Irish perspectives on European Union. A monograph on the work and significance of the National Forum on Europe is also in preparation, with an intention to float a concrete research proposal to publishers by autumn 2011. The monograph will build on an earlier article published in the Journal of European Integration and will draw on a comprehensive series of interviews with political representatives, civil society group members, and the social partners, all stakeholders in the Forum. No other scholar has tracked the Forum’s work and published on it. Given other commitments this strand of research is moving at a slower pace and I don’t anticipate publication until 2012 at the earliest. In addition to this I also intend to produce an analysis of the development of Ireland’s relations with the EU’s newly acceded states in Central and Eastern Europe. Whilst the growth in economic ties represents a central focus, the development of diplomatic and cultural ties will also feature. Publication in a respected journal such as Irish Political Studies will follow. Book chapters on various aspects of Ireland’s relationship with the EU will also help place my work in a national and international context.

Papers Delivered

‘EU Enlargement and the space for Civil Society’, Council of Europe conference on Moldova, Istanbul, 6 October 2010.

‘The European Commission, Democratization and Civil Society in the Western Balkans’, London School of Economics and Political Science, 7 May 2010.

‘The EU Enlargement Process: past, present and future’, CSWE Workshop on EU-Turkey relations, 21 April 2010.

‘Ireland and Europe: Adaptation and Contestation’, SUNY/UL Model European Union, University of Limerick, 9 January 2010.

‘From 12 to 27: Path Dependency within the EU Enlargement Process’, Velvet Revolutions twentieth anniversary conference, University of Vienna, 1-3 October 2009.

‘The Western Balkans and the EU: from ‘badlands’ to the promised land? University of Limerick, 20 February 2009.

‘Ireland’s Lisbon Trauma’, Linfield College Winter School at University of Limerick, 12 January 2009.

‘Reflections on Ireland’s Referendum experience’, NUI Maynooth History Society Forum, 15 April 2008.

‘Normative Power Europe meets the Western Balkans: The EU’s Most Problematic Enlargement’, University of Limerick Balkan Symposium, 29 March 2008.

‘The future of EU Enlargement Policy’, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, 25 June 2007.

‘EU Expansion: Consolidating achievements and the Prospects for Georgia’, University of Limerick Summer School, 15 June 2007.

‘The EU and the Western Balkans: Quo Vadis? Varna Economics University, Bulgaria, 20 March 2007.

‘Ireland and EU Membership: Lessons for Bulgaria as a Newly Acceded State’, Varna Economics University, 19 March 2007.

‘Ireland as an Accession Exemplar’, Europe-Ukraine Economic Forum, Wroclaw, Poland, 24 February 2007.

‘Racing to the Finish: Bulgaria, Romania, Europeanization and EU Accession Conditionality’, Department of Politics and Public Administration Seminar Series, University of Limerick, 25 October 2006.

‘EU Enlargement to South East Europe: the Expansion of ‘Normative Power Europe’’, Political Studies Association of Ireland (PSAI), Cork, 21 October 2006.

‘Desecuritising the Balkans: the EU’s Enlargement Strategy for South East Europe’, UACES Annual Research Conference, Limerick, 1 September 2006.

‘The EU and Enlargement Fatigue: Much Ado about Nothing?’, Centre for European Studies, Sofia, Bulgaria, 12-13 August 2006.

‘The EU and the Western Balkans: toward Europe?, Jean Monnet Summer School on European Integration, University of Limerick, June 2006.

‘The EU and the Western Balkans: Securing Democratisation and Europeanisation through Enlargement’, Invited seminar for MA European Integration/International Studies Programme, University of Limerick, 14 March 2006.

‘European Integration Theory: The State of the Art’, University of Leicester, UK, 3 October 2005.

‘The EU Strategy for South Eastern Europe: Stabilisation and Accession Prospects’, Jean Monnet Summer School on European Integration, University of Limerick, 12 June 2005.

‘The Contested Polity: Theorising the European Union’, University of Leicester, UK, 8 October 2004.

‘The Long and Winding Road: The EU’s Eastern Enlargement in Perspective’, University of Vienna, Austria, 29 March 2004.

‘Gaining the Consent of EU Citizens: the Constitutional Ratification Problem facing the European Union’, Conference on Enlargement and Constitution-building, European Institute, Lodz, Poland, 18-20 September 2003.

‘Analysing Irish Preferences on Eastern Enlargement’, UACES Research Conference, Newcastle, United Kingdom, 2-4 September 2003.

‘Adapting East European EU Studies Curricula’, Current European Studies Teaching and Research Issues for Central and South Eastern Europe, CEP European Studies Network Roundtable, Bucharest, 23-25 May 2003.

‘Scrutinising Europe: The Newly Empowered Oireachtas Committee on European Affairs’, Building an Effective Parliamentary Committee System, OSCE State Union of Serbia and Montenegro Parliament, Belgrade, 18 April 2003.

‘Selling Europe - Lessons from the Nice Treaty Referendum Campaign in Ireland’, From Copenhagen to Copenhagen and Beyond: A Retrospective and Prospective Analysis of the EU’s Fifth Enlargement, UACES Conference, King's College, London, 4 and 5 April 2003.

‘The Evolution of the National Forum on Europe’, Post-Nice: Ireland’s Evolving Relationship with Europe after the Nice referendums, Europe and the World Centre, University of Liverpool, 22 February 2003.

‘Enlargement and the Nice Treaty Referenda in Ireland’, Post-Nice: Ireland’s evolving relationship with Europe after the Nice referendums, Europe and the World Centre, University of Liverpool, 22 February 2003.

‘Enlargement as a Factor in the 2002 Nice Treaty Referendum Campaign in Ireland’, UACES Research Conference, Belfast, 9 September 2002.

‘The Need for a Code of Conduct and the Regulation of Members’ Interests’, Interim Report of the IACDD and OSCE Review of the Parliamentary Procedures of the Republic of Serbia, 2002. IACDD/OSCE, Belgrade, 29 March 2002.

‘Foreign Policy in a Constructed World: Ireland and the EU's Enlargement to Central and Eastern Europe’, UACES Research Conference, University of Bristol, 5 September 2001.

‘Ireland and the European Union - 25 Years of Membership’, Conference on Globalization and Regionalization, Varna Economics University, Bulgaria, 6 October 2000.

‘A Social Constructivist Perspective on Enlargement’, EU External Capability and Influence in International Affairs, ECPR Graduate Conference, Graduate Institute of European Studies of the University of Geneva, Switzerland, 28 August-9 September 2000.

‘Why Enlargement Strengthens the Process of Deepening’, University of Leiden, Netherlands, 26-28 November, 1999.

‘Enlargement as Catalyst for Deep Integration’, Fourth UACES Research Conference, Sheffield, UK, 8-10 September 1999.

‘The European Commission and Supranational Autonomy Within the European Union’, Diversity Within Unity Conference, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic, 2-6 August 1999.

‘The European Commission and Supranational Autonomy: the case of Enlargement Negotiation’, UCD Postgraduate Conference, 16 June 1999.
 

Teaching

2007-Present Lecturer, European Politics and Society, National University of Ireland, Maynooth (NUIM)

PO203 International Relations (MA – 20 Students)
PO305 European Union Politics (BA – 50 students)
PO251 Introduction to International Relations (BA – 50 students)
PO104 Comparative European Politics (BA – 120 students)
SO304 Special Topics Module (BA – 10 students)
PO312 The Politics of Ethnic Conflict in Europe and the Wider World (BA)

Director Centre for the Study of Wider Europe (CSWE)
Chair European Studies Curriculum Review Committee
Coordinator BA Politics

2006-2007 Lecturer, European Politics, Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Limerick
Course Director, BA History, Politics, Sociology and Social Studies (HPSS)

HP4057 European Studies Final Year Project Module (BA – 50 Students)
PO5032 International Organization (MA – 18 Students)
PO5022 Issues in International Public Policy (MA – 16 Students)
PO4015 Government and Politics of the European Union (BA – 250 Students)
PO4016 Issues in European Integration (BA – 45 Students)

Sole responsibility for planning, teaching, and assessment of two undergraduate and two Masters level modules. This has involved lecturing to groups of up to 250 students as well as conducting tutorials with small groups for the undergraduate modules, and weekly seminars for the MA International Studies Integration class. In addition teaching one half of Government and Politics of the EU, a core undergraduate module, shared with Dr. Heiko Walkenhorst. As Course Director for the History, Politics, Sociology and Social Studies (HPSS) degree programme, responsibilities include chairing student status committee, liaising with student administrative affairs regarding student progression, steering programme modifications through the university’s administrative and academic bodies, making presentations on the degree programme at university open days and careers fairs, and liaising with class representatives on student issues. On the MA programme also a member of the course board of the MA International Studies programme and MA European Integration. Co-director of the Centre for the Study of Ireland in the World. Member of the College of Humanities Media Strategy Committee and of the Department of Politics and Public Administration’s Teaching Committee.

Other responsibilities include the coordination of library issues (book ordering, journal allocations) on behalf of the Department of Politics and Public Administration; the on site evaluation of the Department’s co-operative students in their work placements, and hosting a number of guest speakers in the Department on a regular basis. Finally, the supervision of a large number of both undergraduate (average 8 per academic year) and graduate student dissertations (average 4 or 5 per academic year) has been integral to the teaching load. Co-supervisor (with Dr. Neil Robinson ) of two Ph D students within the department.

2004-2006 IRCHSS Government of Ireland Post-Doctoral Fellow

2001-2004 Junior Lecturer, Politics, Department of Politics and Public Administration
University of Limerick (three year contract)

E15011 Theory and Methodology of European Integration (MA – 15 Students)
PO4023 Comparative European Politics (BA – 120 Students)
PO4015 Government and Politics of the European Union (BA – 250 Students)
PO4018 Introduction to International Relations (BA – 90 Students)
HU5010 Ireland: Gateway to Europe (Summer School – 30 Students)

Sole responsibility for planning, teaching, and assessment of two undergraduate and one Masters level modules within the Department of Politics and Public Administration. This involved lecturing to groups of up to 250 students as well as conducting seminars/tutorials with small groups for the undergraduate modules, and weekly seminars for the Department’s flagship MA European Integration class. The main undergraduate teaching lay in International Relations and European Union Politics where I was responsible for two core courses in the BA programme. The module in International Politics placed a strong emphasis on political theory. The teaching load also brought with it interaction with a considerable number of SOCRATES and North American exchange students. In addition, responsibilities included membership of course boards for European studies, planning, management, and supervision of MA Study Visits to Belgrade and Vienna, and curriculum review for the Department.

Other responsibilities included the coordination of library issues (book ordering, journal allocations) on behalf of the Department of Politics and Public Administration; the on site evaluation of the Department’s co-operative students in their work placements, and hosting a number of guest speakers in the Department on a regular basis. Finally, the supervision of a large number of both undergraduate (average 8 per academic year) and graduate student dissertations (average 4 per academic year) has been integral to the teaching load. Internal Examiner of one PhD thesis (Maria Tzankova – External Examiner, Professor Andrew Cottey, University College Cork).

As part of my external service I represented the College of Humanities on the Campus Europea steering committee. This is an embryonic Europe-wide cross-institutional degree scheme, which includes a network of European universities seeking to go beyond ERASMUS and SOCRATES and introduce a multilingual and genuinely pan-European degree scheme. The Committee has been working on such issues as aligning curricula, timetables and reciprocal recognition. Finally I have acted as advisor to the Belgrade Open School, Serbia and Montenegro, the American University in Bulgaria and the Civic Education Network in South East Europe on developing both undergraduate and postgraduate curricula in European Studies.

The University’s Centre for Teaching and Learning conducted a formal evaluation of the PO4018 module in December 2003, based upon a substantive student survey, and indicated a positive response from students (Evaluation available for consultation from the office of the Dean, Teaching and Learning, University of Limerick).

2000-2001 Lecturer in European Politics and International Relations, Varna Economics University, Bulgaria (one year contract)

• The Government and Politics of the European Union (Postgraduate)
• Current Issues in European Integration (Undergraduate)
• International Relations and International Organisation (Undergraduate)
• Ethnic Conflict in Europe and the World (Undergraduate)

Sole responsibility for planning, teaching, and assessment of three undergraduate and one graduate module in European Politics and International Relations. Teaching aims centred on providing students with a broad understanding of key concepts in political science as well as more specialist orientation in European and International Politics. The introduction of critical thinking to student life was a key objective of my teaching and largely realized.

Delivery of teaching methodology workshops for young East European academics, designed to bring together emerging scholars for the purpose of training in Western social science methodologies and skills. These workshops introduced innovative student-centred learning approaches including IT-based delivery systems (Internet tools, Online Documentation search vehicles, Power Point and other visual aids) – none of which had previously been much utilized in the University system’s political science teaching.

Co-ordination of student debate forum for the Balkans region.

1997-2000 Part-time Lecturer and Tutor, Department of Government and Society, University of Limerick

• PO4015 The Government and Politics of the European Union (BA)
• PO4016 Issues in European Integration (BA)
• PO4028 The Politics of Ethnic Conflict (BA)
• PO4013 The Government and Politics of Ireland (BA)

Delivery of some lectures and a full tutorial load in the above undergraduate modules.

1999-2001 Tutor, OSCAIL, National Distance Education Centre

• Politics, Culture, and Society in Independent Ireland 1922-1992 (Undergraduate)
• Europe in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries (Undergraduate)
• Europe in the Age of Reformation and Enlightenment (Foundation Module)

Sole responsibility for planning, teaching, and assessment of the above modules in the OSCAIL BA programme. Lecturing to and supporting mature students enrolled in the BA programme. Teaching took place in a Socratic small-group environment, designed to build confidence in non-traditional students (in some cases, students returning to education).
 

Professional Service

-Deputy-Director, Centre for the Study of Wider Europe at NUI Maynooth.
-Member, University Association for Contemporary European Studies (UACES)
-Member, European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR)
-Member, Political Studies Association of Ireland (PSAI)
-Member, European Studies Group within PSAI
-Civic Education Project (CEP) Fellow
-CEP Balkans European Studies Network
-Board of Trustees, International Agency for Civic Diplomacy and Democratization (IACDD)
-Member, Polish-Irish Cultural Association

-Academic Evaluator, IRCHSS Postgraduate Scholarship Scheme
-Reviewer, Journal of Common Market Studies, Journal of Contemporary European Research, Europe-Asia Studies, Journal of International Relations and Development, Irish Journal of Public Policy, Journal of European Integration, Quebec Journal of International Law, European Integration online Papers (EIoP), Routledge academic publishers, South European Politics and Society.
-External Examiner, UCD School of Politics and International Relations, 2008-2011.
-External Examiner, Athlone Institute of Technology, 2010-2013.
-Member of Royal Irish Academy International Affairs Committee, 2009-present.
-Member Irish Association of Russian and Central and East European Specialists Committee (IARCEES), 2009-present.
-Chairman of Political Science and International Relations Panel, Undergraduate Awards of Ireland 2010.

Professional Membership

UACES - University Association for Contemporary European Studies

PSAI - Political Studies Association of Ireland, including the European Studies Study Group

ECPR - European Consortium for Political Research

Contact Details

Room 13,

Auxilia Building,

Dept. of Sociology,

NUIM Maynooth,

Maynooth, Co. Kildare

Tel. 00353 1 708 6554 OR (Department Office) 01 708 3659.
 

Contact Dr. John O’ Brennan