Debating the Democratic Legitimacy of the European Union (Governance in Europe) [Paperback]

Beate Kohler-Koch (Editor), Berthold Rittberger (Editor), Rudy B. Andeweg (Contributor), Katrin Auel (Contributor), Arthur Benz (Contributor), Lars-Erik Cederman (Contributor), Damian Chalmers (Contributor), Deirdre Curtin (Contributor), Donatella Della Porta (Contributor), Klaus Eder (Contributor), Erik O. Eriksen (Contributor), Ulrich Haltern (Contributor), Hubert Heinelt (Contributor), Doug Imig (Contributor), Christian Joerges (Contributor), Christopher Lord (Contributor), Paul Magnette (Contributor), Andreas Maurer (Contributor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0742554929 | ISBN-13: 978-0742554924 | Publication Date: April 27, 2007

The discussion about a constitution for the European Union and its rejection by referendum in two of the EU founding member states has once again spurred public and scholarly interest in the democratic quality and potential of the European Union. Debating the Democratic Legitimacy of the European Union brings together distinguished thinkers from law, political science, sociology, and political philosophy to explore the potential for democratically legitimate governance in the European Union. Drawing on different theoretical perspectives and strands from democratic theory, this volume is the first of its kind to overcome the present state of fragmentation in the debate about the conditions and possible remedies for what is often called the "democratic deficit" of the European Union. Among the pressing questions addressed by the contributors are: What future is there for parliamentary democracy in the European Union? Can we observe the evolution of a European public sphere and civil society? Can participatory democracy or deliberative democracy pave the road for a democratically legitimate European Union? Conversations about democracy have engaged the public in a new way since the beginning of the Iraq war, and this volume is the best resource for students and readers who are interested in democracy in the European Union.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A stellar book on the major debates on democratic legitimacy in the European Union. It is a 'must-read' for all those concerned about the democratic deficit in the EU and who are asking: Does it exist? How does it manifest itself? Can it be fixed? The contributors constitute an impressive lineup of scholars, including most of "the great and the good" on democracy in the EU. (Vivien Schmidt )

This book provides a much needed, very thorough overview of an extremely complex field of research on European integration, made even more complex by the intricate interdependence between normative political theory and empirical research. It stands out in the 'legitimacy-deficit literature' as being both remarkably even-handed and academically sophisticated. In addition to including thorough reviews of the current state of the discipline, the collection provides constructive indications of how to reduce the present democratic deficits, by fine tuning the workings of national parliaments and the European Parliament, or by correcting some of the weaknesses of 'network governance.' (Andreas Føllesdal )

About the Author

Beate Kohler-Koch holds the Jean Monnet Chair for European Integration at the University of Mannheim.
Berthold Rittberger is chair of political science and contemporary history at the University of Mannheim.

Product Details

• Paperback: 402 pages
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers (April 27, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0742554929
• ISBN-13: 978-0742554924
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,453,632 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)