Theoretical debates in the field of International Relations and the relative success of constructivism have led an increasing number of researchers to use tools and concepts borrowed from sociology and linguistics. At the same token, discourse analysis arose as an interesting method. If adapted for use in the discipline of IR, it could contribute to a comprehensive approach for analysing power relations in the international society, in particular regarding the definition of interests and the question of identity. This has proved to be fruitful for interpreting the « juridicalised discourse » that the EC and its member states have build in 1991 about the collapse of the Republic of Yugoslavia. –Summary AFRI-2003