Managing distrust in the wider Black Sea region

Abstract

The wider Black Sea region – understood in a broad sense and including Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey – is a region torn by instability and distrust. This special issue is based on the belief that trust is a key element in establishing long-term security and effective cooperation between and inside states. Even in the absence of direct military conflict in the wider Black Sea region, the threats to regional stability are serious: weak and poor states with disputed uncontrolled zones are fertile seeding grounds for organized crime, human trafficking and irregular migration. Human security remains weak and distrust of corrupt authorities is widespread in many places in the region. Many of these challenges are transnational in character. The solution of these threats and as well as regional economic development needs a cooperative and regional approach from the states and other actors in the region. This issue explores the current politics of trust and distrust in the wider Black Sea region on multiple levels and their implications to security and stability in the region. This introductory article contemplates various dimensions of trust and distrust. It also discusses the approaches and findings of existing research on trust in international relations, international security and transition studies.