This book provides a well-curated set of essays that are simultaneously honest in tackling hard choices and issues, academically rigorous, and yet fundamentally Europeanist. The authors take head-on difficult dilemmas and challenges posed by the European project, such as the conceptualization of supra-national democracy, the narratives against a European constitution, the inexistence of a European demos, the inevitability of further integration, or the recent para-constitutional developments. This book is thus an indispensable stepping stone to revitalize the European project.

Angel Saz-Carranza, Director, ESADEgeo Center for Global Economy and Geopolitics

Groups are hold together by narratives: Who are we? Where are we headed? Our identity depends upon the functioning of these narratives. Europe knows such narratives, too. The European Union is meant to guarantee peace on the continent and has succeeded therein. The other part of its narrative’s promise is social justice and welfare. In the aftermath of the financial crisis, which left half of Italy and Spain’s youth unemployed, this narrative was more than challenged. Europe’s narrative is embodied in the Western narrative. But which West are we referring to? There are different approaches, yet all Westerners claim to be committed to a specific set of values. This book introduces not only the necessity to become aware of the need for a functioning narrative for Europe, but also suggests what such a narrative may look like.

Alexander Görlach, Harvard University, Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs