Author, institution: Sigita Trainauskienė, Kaunas University of Technology
Science area, field: Social sciences, Sociology
Summary of Doctoral Dissertation: Summary
The doctoral dissertation is available at the libraries of Kaunas University of Technology (K. Donelaičio St. 20, 44239 Kaunas, Lithuania) and Lithuanian Social Research Centre (Goštauto St. 11, 01108 Vilnius, Lithuania).
Scientific Supervisor:
Prof. Dr. Algis KRUPAVIČIUS (Kaunas University of Technology, Social Sciences, Sociology, 05S).
Dissertation defence board of Sociology Science field:
Prof. Dr. Habil. Arvydas Virgilijus MATULIONIS (Lithuanian Social Research Centre, Social Sciences, Sociology, 05S) – chairperson;
Dr. Vladimiras GAIDYS (Lithuanian Social Research Centre, Social Sciences, Sociology, 05S);
Dr. Ainius LAŠAS (University of Bath, Social Sciences, Political sciences, 02S);
Prof. Dr. Vaidutis LAURĖNAS (Klaipėda University, Social Sciences, Sociology, 05S);
Prof. Dr. Jūratė NOVAGROCKIENĖ (The General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania, Social Sciences, Sociology, 05S).
Official Opponents:
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alvidas LUKOŠAITIS (Vilnius University, Social Sciences, Political sciences, 02S);
Prof. Dr. Habil. Gediminas MERKYS (Kaunas University of Technology, Social Sciences, Sociology, 05S).
Annotation:
The doctoral dissertation analyses the changing role of the parliament of Lithuania, a new democracy, in the formation of foreign policy, by approaching the subject in an interdisciplinary way, combining both sociological theories and theories of political science.
Parliaments are considered to be central institutions of representative democracy, as their mandate is to give approval for public policy measures formulated by the governing elite on behalf of the political community. Democratisation as a phenomenon in general is related to parliamentarisation of the regime. The parliaments in the new democracies of Central and Eastern Europe, which used to be mere rubber stamps in the Soviet times, overnight became important agents of systemic changes and the main policy makers. The Lithuanian parliament adopted major decisions concerning the re-establishment of the statehood and the consolidation of independence of the country in the international arena. Having adopted the present Constitution and re-introduced the President’s Office, the main foreign policy powers were delegated to the diarchial executive. Through the application of the Principal-Agent Model, the dissertation examines the interaction (institutional and political constraints) between the executive and the legislature in the shaping of foreign policy. The piece of research is based on the theoretical premises of neoclassical realism, democratic consolidation and democratic foreign policy formation (“divided government”).
