Debating the Democratic Legitimacy of the European Union [Paperback]

A stellar book on the major debates on democratic legitimacy in the European Union. It is a 'must-read' for all those concerned about the democratic deficit in the EU and who are asking: Does it exist? How does it manifest itself? Can it be fixed? The contributors constitute an impressive lineup of scholars, including most of 'the great and the good' on democracy in the EU.This book provides a much needed, very thorough overview of an extremely complex field of research on European integration, made even more complex by the intricate interdependence between normative political theory and empirical research. It stands out in the 'legitimacy-deficit literature' as being both remarkably even-handed and academically sophisticated. In addition to including thorough reviews of the current state of the discipline, the collection provides constructive indications of how to reduce the present democratic deficits, by fine tuning the workings of national parliaments and the European Parliament, or by correcting some of the weaknesses of 'network governance.'The discussion about a constitution for the European Union and its rejection by referendum in two of the EU founding member states has once again spurred public and scholarly interest in the democratic quality and potential of the European Union. Debating the Democratic Legitimacy of the European Union brings together distinguished thinkers from law, political science, sociology, and political philosophy to explore the potential for democratically legitimate governance in the European Union. Drawing on different theoretical perspectives and strands from democratic theory, this volume is the best resource for students and readers who are interested in democracy in the European Union.The discussion about a constitution for the European Union and its rejection by referendum in two of the EU founding member states has once again spurred public and scholarly interest in the democratic quality and potential of the European Union.lӤ