The Civil-Defence Boundary in Research and Innovation
Authors
Larsen, Mathias Lund Hostrup ; Birmelin, Jasmin
Term
4. semester
Education
Publication year
2026
Abstract
This thesis examines how the boundary between civil and defence-related purposes in the European Union’s research and innovation (R&I) policy has been transformed in the context of increasing geopolitical tensions and a growing focus on competitiveness, security, and defence readiness. Historically, EU R&I programmes – including the framework programmes and Horizon initiatives – have been built on a distinctly civilian self-understanding, linking research to scientific excellence, economic growth, societal benefit, and European integration, while largely keeping military and defence-related aims outside the core research norm. Today, this separation is challenged by a more strategic view of research as a tool for addressing security and defence concerns, with dual-use and preparedness becoming more prominent in EU policy language and programme design. Drawing on pragmatist norm transformation theory and the concepts of convention reorientation, polysemy, and rebalancing, the thesis investigates how the meaning of the research norm has gradually shifted without the disappearance of civilian rhetoric. Methodologically, it uses qualitative content analysis of EU documents on R&I governance to trace the development from a clearly civilian baseline, through the introduction of civil security and dedicated instruments for defence research, to the more recent emphasis on dual-use and competitiveness. The analysis finds that the civil–defence boundary has not vanished but now operates differently: the EU research norm still carries its civilian inheritance, yet no longer defines civilian research by distance from security and defence and is increasingly willing to incorporate defence-relevant purposes into the broader field of research and innovation.
Denne afhandling undersøger, hvordan grænsen mellem civile og forsvarsrelaterede formål i EU’s forskning og innovation (F&I) er blevet forandret i lyset af stigende geopolitiske spændinger og et voksende fokus på konkurrenceevne, sikkerhed og forsvar. Historisk har EU’s F&I-programmer – herunder de forskellige rammeprogrammer og Horizon-indsatser – været forankret i en udpræget civil selvforståelse, hvor forskning blev forbundet med videnskabelig excellence, økonomisk vækst, samfundsmæssig nytte og europæisk integration, mens militære og forsvarsrelaterede formål i høj grad blev holdt udenfor. I dag udfordres denne adskillelse af en mere strategisk forståelse af forskning som et redskab til at håndtere sikkerheds- og forsvarsudfordringer, og dual-use og forsvarsparathed fylder stadig mere i EU’s politiske sprog og programdesign. Med udgangspunkt i pragmatisk normtransformations-teori og begreberne konventionsreorientering, polysemi og rebalancering analyserer afhandlingen, hvordan forskningsnormens betydning gradvist er blevet ændret, uden at den civile retorik er forsvundet. Metodisk anvendes kvalitativ indholdsanalysе af EU-dokumenter om F&I-governance for at kortlægge udviklingen fra en klart civil baseline, over introduktionen af civil sikkerhed og særlige instrumenter til forsvarsforskning, til den nyere betoning af dual-use og konkurrenceevne. Analysen viser, at den civil-forsvaretlige grænse ikke er ophævet, men fungerer på en ny måde: EU’s forskningsnorm bærer stadig sit civile arvemateriale, men definerer ikke længere det civile gennem afstand til sikkerhed og forsvar, og er i stigende grad villig til at inkludere forsvarsrelevante formål i det bredere felt for forskning og innovation.
[This abstract has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project full text]