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The study of the informal dimension of EU politics is more important than ever in order to understand how the EU system works. This book presents an innovative and original study on informal cross-party, cross-committee groupings in the European Parliament, so-called Intergroups. Building on extensive fieldwork, including semi-structured interviews and observations, this study shows how parliamentarians of the seventh European Parliament (2009-2014) gain a variety of social resources, such as social, informational and political capital, in Intergroups, which they subsequently mobilise to foster opinion-formation across political groups and parliamentary committees, and to shape the EP’s agenda and policy outcomes. Drawing on an interdisciplinary, Bourdieusian-inspired framework, this book makes a valuable contribution to sociological approaches in European integration studies. Shedding new light on the informal dimension of parliamentary practices and politics, this book appeals to EP as well as EU scholars, to students and practitioners of EU politics, and civil society.
This open access book introduces a groundbreaking concept - civil society elites - and serves as an essential resource for scholars, researchers and students interested in the complexities of power and influence within contemporary civil societies. Through a series of unique empirical studies, the authors offer a comprehensive examination of the individuals occupying the upper echelons of influential civil society organisations and movements. By delving into the factors that propel individuals into key positions and examining the connections between civil society leaders within and across sectors, the book offers insight into the mechanisms that shape access to powerful positions in civil societies. As a reflection of current debates on elites and populism, the book furthermore explores the expression and conceptualisation of counter-elite positions and criticism of civil society elites. With its original approach, the book serves as a catalyst for further research into inequalities, power structures and elites within civil societies.
Due to the current shortage of medical doctors in Germany, hospital administrations increasingly recruit physicians from abroad to meet their demand. Relaxed migration policies and access regulations to the medical profession enable the formal recognition of these physicians’ qualifications. However, the question remains whether these measures suffice to ensure a smooth transfer of professional knowledge and skills. Research on the migration of highly skilled migrants has thus far predominantly focused on macro-structural aspects, whereas their actual integration at the workplace remains largely unexplored. The author investigates such micro processes of integration into the work environment in the case of Central and Eastern European migrant physicians in German hospitals, and attempts to understand the relationship between formal and informal aspects of integration and recognition.
‘How many Europes?’ is a critical question that led to several attempts to analyse European crises and transformations globally. This book builds upon the argument that Europe cannot be reduced to a singular dynamic, identity or vision, but rather provides a four-fold taxonomy: Thin, Thick, Parochial and Global Europe. The book contributors aim to respond to the emerging necessity to incorporate both the parochial dynamics unmaking Europe and the globalist dynamics decentering Europe into the analysis of European crises and transformations in diverse sectors ranging from security and foreign policy to the rule of law and democracy. Accordingly, this book is unpacking Europe in a time of ...
This book seeks to develop Rhetoric as a field of knowledge in an important new direction, European Union politics. The authors analyse what could be called a “European style of politics”: textual strategies and rhetorical styles evolving within and around the EU’s supranational and national institutions. By fusing rhetorical and sociological approaches, political thought and culture, the book contributes to the analysis of the ‘political’ as a way of thinking and judging the political aspect of any phenomena.
Constituting a major contribution to literature on the EU, this comprehensive Companion analyses the structure and value of the EU, capturing the normality of its politics alongside crises and political breakdown.
The book explores how the European Union and its members have been renegotiating Europeanisation and renationalization in response to the multiple crises they faced over recent years. The authors highlight varying understandings of ‘crises’ in different national and supranational policy and institutional contexts. They show how in some cases these have challenged the legitimacy of European Union norms and institutions and even triggered disintegration, while in others these crises have served as sources of inspiration for European social innovation and political development.
This is a major new edition of a highly-regarded textbook on International Relations theory which combines deep analysis into the diversity of thought within the major scholarly traditions and the guidance for students on doing their own theorising. Knud Erik Jorgensen analyses the nuances of the main contending theories and approaches, their philosophical underpinnings, and explains their use and relevance to different research agendas. This is all placed within the context of cross-cutting coverage of key current issues and debates; of the philosophical foundations of IR theory; and of why different theories are addressed to different research agendas. All chapters have been fully revised and updated, and a new chapter on the Human-Nature tradition has been included to reflect the changes within the field. This text is the most up-to-date and informative text on International Relations theory, and is an essential companion for all International Relations students.
The Oxford Handbook of Pierre Bourdieu examines the legacy of one of the most influential social thinkers of the last half-century. Taken together, these writings offer a comprehensive overview of Bourdieu's biography, his main theoretical ideas, and his ongoing influence on the social sciences.
Compiling state-of-the-art research from 58 leading international scholars, this dynamic Handbook explores the evolution of feminist analytical and organising principles and their introduction into governance institutions in national, regional and global settings.