CRESPY A. - The EU’s Legitimacy in Question : “Exit, Voice, Loyalty” (30h)

Professor Amandine CRESPY

The legitimacy of the EU as a democratic polity has been continuously questioned ever since the contentious debate over the Maastricht Treaty in the early 1990s, if not since the origins of European integration. The aim of this course is to provide an understanding of the theoretical issues at stake, to present the actors who have been at the centre of the related debates, and explain the ways in which decision makers have responded to the crisis of legitimacy. In each of the four clusters presented below, the course will provide an explanation of the key concepts, a historical perspective as well as an in-depth discussion of how legitimacy issues have manifested themselves in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and in the current era of the great European recession.

The course will include lecturing time supported by visual materials (posters, graphs, videos, etc.). Lecturing will be interrupted and complemented by short sessions of pro and con debates as well as by student presentations and active participation. In addition, several academic experts will be invited to participate in the course and present specific issues related to their own area of expertise.

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