A Political Sociology of European Democracy

1. A Political Sociology of European Democracy

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

3. Governo Locale Introduction Introduction • MA in Political Science, University of Amsterdam; • PhD. from the European University Institute in Social and Political Sciences (2004); • Postdoc at Universities of Liverpool and Sussex (with prof. Gerard Delanty); • Research interests in (radical) democracy, multiple democracies, European integration, constitutionalism(-s), constitutional critique, participation, dissent; 3

4. Governo Locale Introduction Introduction • Current project: Constitutional Politics in Post-Westphalian Europe (COPOLIS); • Including interest in the case of Icelandic “grass-roots constitutionalism” 4

5. Governo Locale Introduction bit.ly/PolSocEU Website 5

6. Governo Locale Introduction Introduction: Course Objectives • Exploration of a (critical) political sociology of European integration in general and of European democracy in particular; • Relation of European Studies to democratic theory; • Exploration of fruitfulness of political-sociological approach with regard to specific empirical cases. 6

7. Governo Locale Introduction Introduction: Rationale & Programme • The first part will discuss the role of a political sociology of democratic politics in the context of the changing contours of democracy and of the political in general. • Attention to ideas, institutions, (civil) society, European society. • Exploration of fragmentation and pluralisation of democratic politics (political and constitutional pluralism; post-nationalism). 7

8. Governo Locale Introduction Introduction: Rationale & Programme • The second part will approach the possibility of democracy from the angles of different democratic theories. • Democratic legitimation on the European level; • Different theories of European democracy, emphasising different actors and different forms and intensities of legitimation; • The role of a European demos and European identity. • The possibility of post-national democracy. 8

9. Governo Locale Introduction Introduction: Rationale & Programme • The third part will deal with concrete cases of political conflict, crisis, and participation from above and below. • Specific devices of a political-sociological approach: actor-focused; interpretative; class; networks; contestation and critique. • Case-studies of enlargement, the European Convention, European Social Forum, judges and lawyers. 9

10. Governo Locale Introduction 10 Introduction: Programme 1. Introduction: A Political-Sociological Approach to the EU 2. The Westphalian Nation-State and European Integration 3. Democracy on the European level 4. The Democratic Deficit: Formal and Informal Aspects 5. The Construction of a European Political Society 6. Multiple Democracies I: Stakeholder Democracy 7. Multiple Democracies II: Communitarian Democracy 8. Multiple Democracies III: Post-National Democracy 9. Heuristic Devices of a Political-Sociological Approach 10. Focus I: Political Elites, Classes, Epistemic Communities 11. Focus II: Social Movements, Civic Actors, Contentious Politics 12. Focus III: Perceptions of European Democracy

11. Governo Locale Introduction 11

12. Governo Locale Introduction Why a Sociology of the EU? • Emphasis on European society (in contrast to European institutions) - Transnational networks/fields - European public sphere(-s) - Civil movements and civic initiatives 12

13. Governo Locale Introduction Why a Sociology of the EU? b. Sociological dimension to European integration: • Ideas (as opposed to interests) • Discourses/narratives • Identity • Culture • Norms/institutions 13

14. Governo Locale Introduction Why a Political Sociology of European democracy? • Emphasis on role of social actors in democratization (in contrast to exclusive focus on European institutions) - Social movements, associations - European public sphere(-s) - Variety of democratic channels and forms of political and civic action 14

15. Governo Locale Introduction Why a Political Sociology of European democracy? b. Emphasis on ideational, cultural dimension • Democratic discourses • Variety of democratic political cultures 15

16. Governo Locale Introduction Why a Political Sociology of European democracy? • Emphasis on critical, pluralist approach • Representative democracy vs. participatory approaches • The role of critique, conflict and dissent 16

17. Governo Locale Introduction Why a Political Sociology of European democracy? • Role of civic participation in addressing problems of (post-national) democracy? • Role of conflict and dissent in formation European political society; • Need for socio-political imagination in studying democracy on European level; • Relating a plurality of normative models to socio-political reality; • European democracy as well as Europeanization of democracies in Europe. 17

18. Governo Locale Introduction The transformation of modern democracy 18

19. Governo Locale Introduction The 4 mutations of modern democracy (Rosanvallon 2006: 219ff) • A differentiation of the political; • A pluralization of the agents of the political; • A dissemination of the political; • An increasing secularization of the political. 19

20. Governo Locale Introduction The 4 mutations of modern democracy (Rosanvallon 2006: 219ff) • A differentiation of the political There is a growing disentanglement of sovereignty and government, two functions that were closely related in the modern nation-state Regulatory schemes operate on the transnational level (EU law; WTO; Human rights schemes) 20

21. Governo Locale Introduction The 4 mutations of modern democracy (Rosanvallon 2006: 219ff) b. A pluralization of the agents of the political; The classical agent of the political is the citizen who was represented through procedural forms (elections). Today, however, there are new forms of representation developing (expertise, moral). Experts represent stakeholders in governance networks. Charities represent a problem (poverty). 21

22. Governo Locale Introduction The 4 mutations of modern democracy (Rosanvallon 2006: 219ff) • A dissemination of the political; Originally, individual emancipation (Locke) was distinguished from collective emancipation (Rousseau). Today these two forms are inextricably linked. The difference between liberalism and democracy has largely collapsed. 22

23. Governo Locale Introduction The 4 mutations of modern democracy (Rosanvallon 2006: 219ff) d. An increasing secularization of the political; We are living through the end of democracy based on the will. The idea that there exists a “general will” is cast in doubt today. It is increasingly clear that a unified agent – a people – is difficult to identify and in reality there are many different “wills”. 23

24. Governo Locale Introduction The transformation of modern democracy (Ferrara 2011: 67ff) • A first transformation of democracy was from an ancient idea of democracy (the rule of the many) to a modern, representative democracy. • Modern democracy adds three aspects to democratic autonomy: • Individual rights • Constitution and constitutionalism • The Nation-State 24

25. Governo Locale Introduction The transformation of modern democracy (Ferrara 2011: 67ff) • A second major transformation is occurring today: the relativization of the nation-society, and the emergence of a ‘world society’ or ‘international community’. • What does democracy mean in this context? Can democracy mean the same thing as when applied to a singular and national political regime? 25

26. Governo Locale Introduction The transformation of modern democracy (Ferrara 2011: 67ff) • When evaluating the European integration project and its democratic standards, can we talk about a democratic deficit? • As Ferrara argues, it is only possibility to speak of a democratic deficit if we have a clear benchmark of what democracy should look like (such as the ‘national measure’). 26

27. Governo Locale Introduction The transformation of modern democracy (Ferrara 2011: 67ff) • Using the ‘national measure’ for evaluating the democraticness of the EU is however problematic. • The shift from government to governance means: • A shift from clear, centralized authority to shared authority • A shift from direct sanctions to soft, indirect sanctions • A shift in the meaning of legitimacy 27

28. Governo Locale Introduction The transformation of modern democracy (Ferrara 2011: 67ff) • Using the ‘national measure’ for evaluating the democraticness of the EU is however problematic. • The shift from government to governance means: • A shift from clear, centralized authority to shared authority • A shift from direct sanctions to soft, indirect sanctions • A shift in the meaning of legitimacy 28

29. Governo Locale Introduction The transformation of modern democracy (Ferrara 2011: 67ff) • The new emphasis on governance points to a mode of politics/political coordination which entails ‘control without commanding’ • How does governance relate to democracy? Is democracy necessary based on majority rule and elections? • Can governance be understood as invoking a different view of democracy, based on consensus-building between stakeholders? 29

30. Governo Locale Introduction The transformation of modern democracy (Ferrara 2011: 67ff) • According to Ferrara, ‘the idea that democracy means that citizens are in the ultimate analysis authors of the laws to which to obey is to be substituted for by the idea that democracy means that citizens are ultimately the subscribers, free and equal, of a constitutional pact which in turn serves as a standard of legitimacy for any legislative, regulatory and administrative product’ (75) 30