Schmidt Publishes Europe’s Crisis of Legitimacy
Vivien Schmidt, Jean Monnet Professor of European Integration and Professor of International Relations and Political Science at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, published a new book – Europe’s Crisis of Legitimacy: Governing by Rules and Ruling by Numbers in the Eurozone – on July 15, 2020.
Schmidt’s latest publication, published by Oxford University Press, examines the interrelationship between democratic legitimacy at the European level and the ongoing Eurozone crisis that began in 2010. Using the lens of democratic theory, the book assesses the legitimacy of European Union (EU) governing activities first in terms of their procedural quality (‘throughput)’ by charting EU actors’ different pathways to legitimacy, and then evaluates their policy effectiveness (‘output’) and political responsiveness (‘input’).
In addition to an engaging and distinctive analysis of Eurozone crisis governance and its impact on democratic legitimacy, the book offers a number of theoretical insights into the broader question of the functioning of the EU and supranational governance more generally. It concludes with proposals for how to remedy the EU’s problems of legitimacy, reinvigorate its national democracies, and rethink its future.
Europe’s Crisis of Legitimacy can be purchased here. A promotional flyer with a 30% discount can be viewed here. View the book jacket here.
Vivien Schmidt is Professor of International Relations and Jean Monnet Professor of European Integration at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies and was the first Director of BU’s Center for the Study of Europe, housed at the Pardee School.