A Political Sociology of European Democracy

2 A Political Sociology of European Democracy Week 5 Lecture 1 Lecturer Paul Blokker

3 The Construction of a European Political Society Legitimacy Normative justifications Different views on: Role and relevance of actors (governments, experts, civil society, citizens) Institutions and integration Introduction Governo Locale

4 Introduction Governo Locale

5 Introduction Governo Locale Announcement: Examination -The student will be evaluated at the end of the course by means of a written essay, to be handed in at the end (deadline: 30 May, to be handed in by , by 17:00 pm); -The written essay will be of a minimum of words, and needs to contain a bibliography with at least 10 academic resources.

6 Introduction Governo Locale Announcement: Examination -The essay needs to address a theme related to democracy in or of Europe. -The essay needs to be set up in a clearly structured way, with a clear introduction with an outline of the paper, a convincing argument in the middle part, and succinct conclusions (including own opinion).

7 Introduction Governo Locale

8 Part II. Multiple European Democracies and Legitimation European democracy: a normative approach Normative Approach Governo Locale

9 Strategies of Legitimation 1.Efficient regulation 2.Value-based community 3.Rights-based political union (Eriksen 2009: 58) Governo Locale Normative Approach

10 1.Efficient regulation -EU perceived as economic project (four freedoms); -An emphasis on problem-solving: special purpose organization of functional integration (Ipsen 1972); -The EU is legitimated by delivering the goods (output-oriented legitimacy) Governo Locale Normative Approach

11 2. Value-based community -EU perceived as community based on a common European identity and shared heritage; -A significant part of the European project is the forging of this common identity that is to underpin a demos; -Democracy about hardware (institutions) and software (political culture) Governo Locale Normative Approach

12 3. Rights-based political union -EU perceived as a constitutionally grounded polity with a common set of civil and political rights; -Citizens are to be empowered and to see themselves as the co-authors of the law that rules the polity; -Post-national democracy based on constitutional patriotism. Governo Locale Normative Approach

13 Governo Locale Source: Eriksen 2009: 59. Normative Approach

14 Governo Locale Democratic theories 1.Problem-solving: minimal, liberal democracy; main actors: individual nation-states 2.Value-based community: communitarian democracy; main actors: European society 3.Rights-based polity: republican democracy; main actors: plurality of social and political actors Normative Approach