Debating europe in national parliaments : public justification and political polarization / Frank Wendler.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Wendler, Frank, 1974-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

European Union--Public opinion.

European Union.

Political science.

Comparative government.

Public opinion.

Europe--Politics and government.

Europe.

Politics and government.

Physical Description:

ix, 268 pages ; 22 cm

Place of Publication:

London : Palgrave Macmillan, 2016.

Summary:

This book investigates recent public debates about the European Union (EU) in national parliaments, which have become the primary arena for public debate about the EU. Responding to claims about a politicization of European governance, the author investigates the link between two dimensions of debate - the discursive justification and party political contestation of decision-making in the EU. Embedded in a comparison between the legislatures of four Member States (Austria, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom), the main finding of the book is that generalizable links can be identified between the use of different argumentative frames and patterns of party political polarization. These insights help to clarify the context conditions in which patterns of left/right and government/opposition politics are replaced by more atypical forms of polarization. In a comparative perspective, the author demonstrates that party political factors are a more relevant factor for variation than thematic or country-specific cultural or institutional factors. Case studies include debates on EU Treaty Reform, the Eurozone crisis, and EU enlargement. .

Contents:

List of Tables and Figures

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Theoretical Framework

Chapter 3: Data and Method

Chapter 4: Formats of Parliamentary Debate about the EU

Chapter 5: Discursive Justification of European Integration

Chapter 6: The Polarization of Parliamentary Parties

Chapter 7: Comparative Perspectives on Parliamentary Discourse and Polarization

Chapter 8: Conclusion

Bibliography

Index.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1137517263

9781137517265

OCLC:

934194060