Focusing on the EU, this volume examines the problems multilevel governance causes for democratic legitimacy by placing it in a comparative and theoretical context, and explore how challenges faced by the EU compare with those faced by traditional federal

This collection examines the transformation of the modern Western state in an age of accelerated globalization. Arguing that the state experienced a 'golden age' in the 1960s and 1970s, the contributors explore how and why this configuration of the state is under pressure in the 21st century.

Offering original insights on the prospects for a European, or even global, public sphere, this volume offers the writings of the original thinker Bernhard Peters (1949-2005) in English for the first time. Includes an introduction by the editor that outlines the importance of Peters' work and a preface by Jurgen Habermas.

Does the democratic nation state remain a legitimate regime form in the current age of globalization? This book uses a novel, analytical approach to probe this topical question, drawing on a comparative study of legitimation discourses in the media of four Western democracies (Switzerland, Germany, Britain, and the United States.)

Transnational connections are a defining feature of contemporary Europe. They include cross-border economic and cultural exchange, migration, and political activism. This volume probes their political and social significance and makes a case for incorporating transnationalism more systematically into the research agenda of European Studies.

In den 1990er Jahren hat die internationale Politikwissenschaft verstarkt argumentative, interpretative, (sozial)konstruktivistische, kognitive und lerntheoretische Ansatze der Politikanalyse hervorgebracht. Diese haben die politische Funktion und Bedeutung von Wissen, Ideen und Argumentationen betont und im Detail untersucht. Das Buch bietet eine Zusammenschau und Bilanz dieser in der Bundesrepublik nur vereinzelt rezipierten Ansatze. Wissenszentrierte Politikanalysen legen nahe, Politik als argumentativ oder von neuen Erkenntnissen gepragten Lernprozess zu verstehen. Die...

Based on cutting-edge research, this edited volume examines how citizens and political elites perceive the legitimacy of regional integration in Europe and the Americas. It analyses public opinion and political discourse on the EU, NAFTA and MERCOSUR, arguing that legitimation patterns shape the development of regional governance.