Explaining EU Disintegration: Closing the Gap by Reshaping and Linking Federalism Theories in the EU Context

Abstract

For a long time, federalism integration theory implied a controversial and normative mission statement with respect to the EU-finality. However, its power to explain the EU integration process has been seen almost as worthless. That may be the reason why theories like Neo-functionalism and Intergovernementalism and their successors became more and more influential. Facing the challenges of the EU over the last decade – especially during the global financial and economic crisis – scholars noted a “normative bias” (Faber/Wessels 2005) of traditional integration theories, that are neither able nor willing to explain “disintegration” properly. The target of this panel is to discuss ways how to combine different theoretical approaches – theories of European integration, federalism theories, theories of international relations, crisis theories etc. – to explain EU “disintegration”. Since a single theory-approach seems to be limited in its explanatory power it has to be asked how to reach added value through a mutual integration of different theories. With regard to national systems, federalism theories provide categories and reasons for “disintegration”. So, federal arrangements are always balancing between shared rule and self-rule (Elazar 1991), on a continuum between autonomy and solidarity (Ryker 1975). Federal systems are “dynamic systems” (Benz 1985) and characterised by processes of formal and informal re-allocation of powers between different jurisdictional levels. Analyses of the simultaneity of these processes, thereby, comprise no normative evaluation concerning the direction of dynamics. Thought in the context of the EU as a supranational, “quasi federal system”, a centripetal shift could be seen as “integration”, while a centrifugal shift might be similar to “disintegration”. Therefore, federal theories revived in the EU context are one opportunity to pass the “normative bias”. Nevertheless, to close the gap in explaining “disintegration”, it is necessary to link federalism approaches to other theories.

Title	Details
Conceptualising Simultaneity: Functional Integration and Cultural Disintegration in a Polycentric Integration Field	View Paper Details
John Erik Fossum	View Paper Details
Henrik Scheller	View Paper Details
Konstantin Stern	View Paper Details
Alexandra Segerberg	View Paper Details
Dario Castiglione	View Paper Details