Contesting Political Differentiation, 1st ed. 2019 European Division and the Problem of Dominance

This book discusses the causes and nature of political differentiation in Europe. It deals with the normative problem of differentiated integration, both in its vertical and horizontal dimensions, and addresses the problem of differentiation through a theory of democratic autonomy and dominance.  A politically differentiated EU could deprive people of their right to co-determine common affairs and have adverse effects for democratic self-rule. It could also take away the people?s ability to influence political decisions that they are ultimately affected by. This book argues that differentiation is not an innocent instrument for handling conflicts in interconnected contexts. The consequences of what might be a benign plea for sovereignty and independence can in fact lead to the opposite.

1 Introduction – The predicaments of differentiation.- 2 Autonomy versus arbitrary rule.- Part I: A politically differentiated Europe.- 3 Dimensions of political differentiation in Europe.- 4 Dominance through segmentation.- 5 Hegemony through self-inflicted subservience.- 6 Contested multilateral dominance.- Part II: Overcoming illicit divergence.- 7 Constituting power in Europe.- 8 Structural injustice and the paradigm of solidarity.- 9 Differentiation as a vehicle of integration.- 10 Conclusion.

Argues that segmentation is the systemic effect of differentiation in the vertical dimension of integration Deals with ways to overcome harmful political differentiation Devises a new analytical framework for differentiation