Suchergebnisse

ObjectivesThe basic research problem in this article is whether hostility toward out‐groups is a product of events or whether the degree of hostility toward out‐groups exists independently of such events in the form of a generalized bigotry.MethodsWe examine two countries that experienced threatening violent events from an unassimilated minority in order to determine if their levels of intolerance increased in the period between two runs of the World Values Survey when these violent events occurred. This article also examines six additional EU countries that did not experience such violent events.ResultsIn the six countries that did not experience violent events, the level of tolerance increased between the two waves of the World Values Survey while tolerance decreased in the two countries that experienced violent events.ConclusionsThe strongest factor in fostering intolerance toward out‐groups is a perception of a violent, existential threat to one's way of life. Our analyses tentatively suggest the following factor may exacerbate levels of intolerance: the presence and strength of a nativist or populist party of identity mobilizing a rejection of out‐groups.

A review essay on books by (1) S. Andersen & K. Eliassen (Eds), The European Union: How Democratic Is It? (London: Sage, 1996); (2) S. Gustavsson & L. Lewin (Eds), The Future of the Nation-State: Essays on Cultural Pluralism and Political Integration (Stockholm: Nerenius & Santerus, 1996); (3) J. Hayward (Ed), The Crisis of Representation in Europe (London: Frank Cass, 1995); & (4) J. Hayward (Ed), Elitism, Populism and European Politics (Oxford, England: Clarendon Press, 1996). These texts investigate the discrepancy between democratic principles & political practice in the European Union. The problematic political principles are identified in every text: the European practice of "unification by stealth"; the appointment of government officials based on technical proficiency rather than political representativeness; European integration independent of public & electoral consent; the complexity of the Europe Union's political structure; the relative weakness of transnational political parties; the presence of a clandestine network of political representation; & the superimposition of the Union's government on the institutions of member states. In ameliorating these problems, it is recommended that the tenets of constitutional democracy undergo re-examination to procure democratic legitimacy; Karl Popper's notion of democracy as institutionalized discourse & critical argument is valuable to such a project. It is concluded that democratic legitimacy for the European Union remains unattainable until integration by stealth is replaced by constitutional democracy. J. W. Parker

Introduction : Federalism's Janus face / Elke Cloots, Geert De Baere and Stefan Sottiaux -- EU federalism in 3-D / Koen Lenaerts -- Federalism and jurisdiction / Pavlos Eleftheriadis -- Federalism, the EU and international law : on the possible (and necessary) role of subsidiarity in legitimate multilevel trade governance / Alexia Herwig -- The Court of Justice as a federal constitutional court : a comparative perspective / Monica Claes and Maartje de Visser -- The dual system of rights protection in the European Union in light of US federalism / Aida Torres Perez -- Federalism and international relations in the European Union and the United States : a comparative outlook / Geert De Baere and Kathleen Gutman -- European ties that bind : political or cultural? / Helder De Schutter -- Does EU decision-making take into account regional interests? / Piet Van Nuffel -- The role of sub-state entities in the EU decision-making processes : a comparative constitutional law approach / Nikos Skoutaris -- Autonomous constitutional regions in a federal Europe / Joxerramon Bengoetxea -- The European Court of Justice and the devolution of taxation powers / Suzanne Kingston -- The impact of EU law on the devolution of social powers in the member states / Herwig Verschueren -- EU law and language regulation in (quasi-) federal member states / Elke Cloots and Stefan Sottiaux -- The European Court of Justice and member state federalism : balancing or categorisation? / Elke Cloots -- The impact of "regional blindness" on the Italian regional state / Giuseppe Martinico -- The Spanish state structure and EU law : the view of the Spanish consitutional court / Maite Zelaia Garagarza -- Economic and monetary union : caught between Brussels and Luxembourg? The influence of EU law on Belgian federalism case law / Stef Feyen.

Meehan reviews 'Sexual Politics and the European Union: The New Feminist Challenge' edited by R. Amy Elman.