Introduction: The representative turn in EU Studies
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In: Journal of European Public Policy, Vol. 20, No. 2, 01.02.2013, p. 155-170.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Introduction: The representative turn in EU Studies
AU - Kröger, Sandra
AU - Friedrich, Dawid
N1 - Special Issue: The representative turn in EU studies
PY - 2013/2/1
Y1 - 2013/2/1
N2 - In everyday discourse, democracy has become associated with representation. Western-style political systems today are generally categorized as representative democracies, as is the EU. The Treaty of Lisbon declares the EU to be founded on representative democracy, with political equality as its normative foundation. However, contemporary processes of diversification, not least that of European integration, pose severe challenges to the historically contingent link between democracy and representation. Consequently, many scholars indicate a democratic deficit in the EU, which the current debt crisis has accentuated even further. This introduction takes stock of recent theoretical debates and identifies three key issues which it then links to the contributions to this collection: namely, (1) a decisive shift in the understanding of the representative relationship; (2) an increased attention to non-electoral representation, specifically civil society (organizations); and (3) the debate about whether democratic competences are best located at the supranational or the national level. We close by reflecting on potential future avenues for research.
AB - In everyday discourse, democracy has become associated with representation. Western-style political systems today are generally categorized as representative democracies, as is the EU. The Treaty of Lisbon declares the EU to be founded on representative democracy, with political equality as its normative foundation. However, contemporary processes of diversification, not least that of European integration, pose severe challenges to the historically contingent link between democracy and representation. Consequently, many scholars indicate a democratic deficit in the EU, which the current debt crisis has accentuated even further. This introduction takes stock of recent theoretical debates and identifies three key issues which it then links to the contributions to this collection: namely, (1) a decisive shift in the understanding of the representative relationship; (2) an increased attention to non-electoral representation, specifically civil society (organizations); and (3) the debate about whether democratic competences are best located at the supranational or the national level. We close by reflecting on potential future avenues for research.
KW - Politics
KW - civil society
KW - democratic deficit
KW - democratic theory
KW - EU
KW - Representation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84872546808&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/13501763.2013.746569
DO - 10.1080/13501763.2013.746569
M3 - Journal articles
VL - 20
SP - 155
EP - 170
JO - Journal of European Public Policy
JF - Journal of European Public Policy
SN - 1350-1763
IS - 2
ER -