| dc.description.abstract | The EU is approaching bordering countries offering them
“neighbourhood relations”, but it fails short of taking into consideration
how this concept may be perceived by its partners. This paper
will propose a reconsideration of the term “neighbour” in the
conviction that this operation is of fundamental importance in order
to solve any eventual misunderstanding on its meaning and to define,
in the context of the ENP, what the nature of a relationship of
neighbourhood may imply. In particular, it will look at the literature
to show that this term, far from being uncontested, fundamentally
implies an “othering” practice which transcends the Christian
teaching to “love one’s neighbour as oneself”. Then, it will underline
that this word may have different connotations in partner countries
which may go beyond a neutral indication of geographical
proximity and which may not correspond to the meaning consolidated
in the Anglo Saxon tradition which basically refers to a
neighbour as to a “fellow”. Finally, the paper will underline that
the same fundamental ambiguity which marks the term here considered
lies at the very core of the ENP. As a matter of fact, this policy
shows persisting uncertainties on how to substantiate the relationship
with neighbouring countries, whether in terms of fellowship
and integration or in terms of an “other than me” who still represents
a security threat. | en |