Promoting Solidarity In The European Union

The EU claims that solidarity is a fundamental value underlying the European social model, yet often stands accused of undermining solidarity by advancing market freedoms. This book provides the first extended study of the idea of solidarity in the EU context from interdisciplinary perspectives--analyzing its impact on law and policy.

This volume approaches the current crisis of solidarity in the European Union from a multidisciplinary perspective. The contributions explore the concept of solidarity, its role in the European integration process, and analyze the risks entailed by a lack of solidarity. Experts from various academic fields, such as political science, law, sociology, and philosophy, shed new light on contemporary challenges such as the migrant and refugee crisis, the Eurozone crisis, nationalist and separatist movements, and Brexit. Finally, they also discuss different solutions for the most pressing problems in EU politics. The book has two main aims: Firstly, to show that solidarity is a key element in solving the EU’s contemporary problems; and secondly, to reveal how the crisis of solidarity has become a crucial test for the integration project, as the nature of the crisis goes beyond the well-known shortcomings in the EU’s structure and problem-solving capacities.

Citizens’ Solidarity in Europe systematically dissects the manifestations of solidarity buried beneath the official policies and measures of public authority in Europe. In this exciting and innovative book, contributors offer comprehensive and original data and highlight the detrimental factors that tend to inhibit or annihilate solidarity, and those that are beneficial for the nurturing of solidarity.

This book tells the story of the European Movement’s mission to create—through education—a European spirit in order to secure the success of European integration. This book draws links between the crisis of solidarity experienced by the European Union today and the difficulties faced throughout European integration to develop a fully-fledged EU education policy. It makes the case that education has not been a stable mechanism for fostering spirit due to its national attachment to identity and nation-building. Without education, it has been difficult to foster the spirit needed to establish a strong citizen-wide sense of European solidarity to overcome the crises the EU faces today. Exploring the connection between education and solidarity through the notion of spirit, the book presents an interdisciplinary study that avoids the compartmentalisation of education studies, philosophy and political science to bring ideas together that shed fresh light on contemporary debates currently under the spotlight.

The European Union has evolved from a purely economic organisation to a multi-faceted entity with political, social and human rights dimensions. This has created an environment in which the concept of solidarity is gaining a more substantial role in shaping the EU legal order. This book provides both a retrospective assessment and an outlook on the future possibilities of solidarity’s practical and theoretical meaning and legal enforcement in the ever-changing Union.

This book tells the story of the European Movement's mission to create-through education-a European spirit in order to secure the success of European integration. This book draws links between the crisis of solidarity experienced by the European Union today and the difficulties faced throughout European integration to develop a fully-fledged EU education policy. It makes the case that education has not been a stable mechanism for fostering spirit due to its national attachment to identity and nation-building. Without education, it has been difficult to foster the spirit needed to establish a strong citizen-wide sense of European solidarity to overcome the crises the EU faces today. Exploring the connection between education and solidarity through the notion of spirit, the book presents an interdisciplinary study that avoids the compartmentalisation of education studies, philosophy and political science to bring ideas together that shed fresh light on contemporary debates currently under the spotlight. Sarah K. St. John holds a PhD in Education from the University of Glasgow and works with the Secretary General at the European University Institute in Florence (Italy). Previously, she co-edited the volume Education and Public Policy in the European Union: Crossing Boundaries (with M. Murphy, Palgrave Macmillan, 2019). Her research interests are European Union education policy, European integration history and the construction of Europe, European and international higher education, and higher education administration and governance.

What purpose does the EU serve? Why and how was it set up? How does it work? What has it already achieved for its citizens, and what new challenges does it face today? In a globalised world, can the EU compete successfully with other major economies while maintaining its social standards? How can immigration be managed? What will Europe’s role be on the world stage in the years ahead? Where will the EU’s boundaries be drawn? And what future is there for the euro? These are just some of the questions explored by EU expert Pascal Fontaine in this 2017 edition of his popular booklet Europe in 12 lessons. Pascal Fontaine is a former assistant to Jean Monnet and former professor at the Institut d’Études Politiques, Paris.

The Euro crisis catapulted the EU into its most serious political crisis since its inception, leaving it torn between opposing demands for more sovereignty and solidarity. This volume focuses on the key themes of disunion, sovereignty and solidarity. It assesses the main EU institutions: member states, civil society actors and policy areas.