Understanding Conflicts of Sovereignty in the EU

This book investigates the multifaceted conflicts of sovereignty in the recent crises in the European Union, exploring conflicts between national, supranational, parliamentary, and popular sovereignty. It provides theoretical reflections and empirical analyses of these conflicts and their impact on EU policies and governance structures.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 140 pages
Publication date: 25 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The notion of sovereignty has played a central role in the contentious debates surrounding the recent crises within the European Union. However, despite its significance, the study of sovereignty in the context of the EU has been relatively under-researched in political science. This book aims to bridge this gap by offering both theoretical reflections and empirical analyses of the contemporary conflicts of sovereignty within the EU. In particular, it delves into conflicts between four distinct types of sovereignty. Firstly, national sovereignty pertains to the autonomy of the Westphalian Nation-State to govern within a territory defined by borders. Secondly, the EU has acquired supranational sovereignty through a fragmented process in various internal and external policy domains. Thirdly, parliamentary sovereignty represents the autonomy of parliaments, at regional, national, and European levels, to participate in decision-making processes and exercise control over the executive in accordance with principles of election and representation. Lastly, popular sovereignty involves the body politic conferring legitimacy to decision-makers within a democratic system.

Through an examination of various crises, such as the rule of law, Brexit, migration, and the Eurozone crisis, the chapters in this book explore how sovereignty is framed and contested by different actors. They also examine how the strengthening or weakening of specific types of sovereignty can influence preferences regarding policies and governance structures within the multi-level EU.

The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of the Journal of European Integration. This publication provides valuable insights into the complex dynamics of sovereignty in the EU and contributes to the ongoing scholarly discourse on this important topic.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 246 x 174 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367761400