Between Social Movements and New Political Parties: Challenging EU Institutions and Policies

Abstract

Since the Maastricht Treaty (1992), the EU has been increasingly seen as an arena for political action and a target for both domestic political parties and civil society organizations. The panel intends to bring together papers that analyse civil society responsed to EU institutions and policies such as economic policies, infrastrucure policies (such as high speed railways), agricultural and food policies, trade liberalization, etc.. More specifically, the panel encourages both theoretical and empirical reflections which could shed new light on the ways through which contentious politics has become even more relevant at the EU level over the past decade, pursued by political parties, social movements and associations, . as well as the forms of action, the reportoires and the symbolic and programatic production through which these actors carry out and tematise their critique towards European politics.