Conceptualizing the EU's Social Constituency

Bibliographic Data

ID2397679
AuthorsJohn Erik Fossum (0000-0002-4198-9922, Arena, University of Oslo, Norway,, corresponding author)
Year2005
Volume8
Issue2
Pages123-147
Publication date2005-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEuropean Journal of Social Theory (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1368-4310 • E-ISSN: 1461-7137
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/1368431005051760
OpenAlexW2054656945
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited49

The EU is often considered to be a unique entity. This assertion rests on assessments of its institutional character more than on assessments of its social constituency, i.e., the structure of demands and expectations that citizens and groups place on the EU. Establishing the character of the latter is important both to understand the EU as polity and to understand its democratic deficit. It is also of theoretical interest given the increased focus on recognition politics, not only within nation-states but also within the transnational realm. This article develops a conceptual-methodological framework with a set of structured tests so as to permit us to establish the character of the EU's social constituency. This framework combines a philosophical approach to recognition with a sociological approach to contentious politics. A central element is the notion of 'recognition order', and the article briefly examines whether the EU might be said to make up a unique recognition order

Assertion · Democracy · democratic deficit · Economics · Epistemology · Political science · Politics · Polity · Realm · Sociology · European and International Law Studies · European Union Policy and Governance · Law · Post-Soviet Geopolitical Dynamics

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