Political constitutionalism in Europe revisited

Wilkinson, Michael ORCID: 0000-0003-1544-1821 (2023) Political constitutionalism in Europe revisited. Journal of Law and Society, 50 (51). S115 - S139. ISSN 0263-323X

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Abstract

This article traces the disconnect in the constitutional study of the European Union from the Maastricht era to the euro crisis. In the Maastricht era, a discourse of ‘post-sovereignty’ came to dominate theoretical enquiry, reflecting but also distorting a number of material developments: the ‘end of history’, the retreat of critical theory into discourse analysis and systems theory, and the prioritization of law over politics. Jürgen Habermas was a key intellectual figure in driving this ideological mix at the very moment when anti-systemic challenges began to return, both formally and informally, as exemplified in the German Constitutional Court and the French political scene. In revisiting the idea of political constitutionalism, we can foreground this constitutional disconnect and show how it contributes to the irresolution of the subsequent euro crisis conjuncture.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14676478
Additional Information:	© 2023 The Author
Divisions:	Law
Subjects:	J Political Science > JN Political institutions (Europe) K Law > K Law (General)
Date Deposited:	01 Aug 2023 14:21
Last Modified:	12 Dec 2024 03:49
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/119894

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