New book on democratizing the EU

The Unfinished Democratization of Europe

by Erik O. Eriksen

(Oxford University Press, 2009)

286 pages




Description

The book analyzes the reforms undertaken to bring the EU 'closer to the citizens'. It documents elements of democratization and reduction of arbitrary power. However, democracy requires that the citizens can approve or reject the laws they are subjected to. Since the institutional as well as the civic conditions under which a public justification process would be deemed legitimate are not in place, European post-national democracy remains an unaccomplished mission.

Contents

1: Introduction: European Democracy in Transformation

Part I The Democratic Challenge
2: The Quest for Democratization
3: Democratic Legitimacy Through Deliberation?

Part II Elements of Democratization
4: Europe - On the Search for its Legitimacy
5: Chartering Europe
6: The Cosmopolitan Dimension
7: A layered European Public Sphere

Part III What Kind of Legitimate Order?
8: Government or Transnational Governance?
9: Government without a State
10: Parliamentary Democracy Without a Demos

Finale - An Unaccomplished Post-National Democracy

Erik O. Eriksen is Professor of Political Science and Director of ARENA - Centre for European Studies at the University of Oslo. Erik O. Eriksen is co-author with Jarle Weigard of "Understanding Habermas: Communicative Action and Deliberative Democracy" (Continuum, 2003).