This volume of essays employs discourse theory to analyze mainstream topics in contemporary European politics. Inspired by developments in post-structuralist, psychoanalytic and post-Marxist theory, each contributor problematizes a central issue in European governance, including European security, Third Way politics, constitutional and administrative reform, new forms of nationalism and populism, the shift from welfare to workfare, environmental politics and local government. Alongside these substantive issues, the book tackles questions raised by the difficulties of applying discourse theory to empirical cases.
Table of Content
Notes on Contributors Acknowledgements Introduction: Discourse Theory: Achievements, Arguments and Challenges; J.Torfing European Integration and Security: Analysing French and German Discourses on State, Nation and Europe; O.Waever Passions of Identification: Discourse, Enjoyment and European Identity; Y.Stavrakakis Polity as Politics: Studying the Shaping and Effects of Discursive Politics; A.D. Hansen & E.Sørensen Problematising the Mobilisation of Hospital Directors; S.Griggs Political Administration; N.Åkerstrøm Andersen The Human Rights Act: Politics, Power and the Law; A.Clohesy Right-Wing Populism and the Radical Centre: Explaining the Electoral Growth of the Vlaams Blok in Belgium; P.de Vlos Third Way Politics Today; S.Bastow & J.Martin New Labour’s Politics of the Hard-Working Family; O.Reyes From Welfare to Social Exclusion: Eugenic Social Policies and the Swiss National Order; V.Mottier Media Discourse and the Public Sphere; L.Chouliariaki Coalitions, Practices and Meaningin Environmental Politics: From Acid Rain to BSE; M.A.Hajer Conclusion: Applying Discourse Theory: The Method of Articulation; D.Howarth Index
About the author
NIELS ÅKERSTRØM ANDERSEN Professor, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark STEVE BASTOW Senior Lecturer in Politics, Kingston University, UK LILIE CHOULIARIAKI Associate professor, University of Copenhagen, Denmark ANTHONY CLOHESY Lecturer in Politics, University of Essex, UK STEVEN GRIGGS Lecturer on Public Policy, Birmingham University, UK MAARTEN A. HAJER Professor of Public Policy and Political Science, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands ALLAN DREYER HANSEN Associate Profesor in Public Administration, Roskilde University, Denmark JAMES MARTIN Lecturer in Politics, Goldsmiths College, University of London, UK VERONIQUE MOTTIER Teaching Fellow, Jesus College, Cambridge, UK OSCAR REYES Department of Government, University of Essex, UK EVA SØRENSEN Professor of Public Administration, Roskilde University, Denmark YANNIS STAVRAKAKIS Research Fellow, Department of Politics, University of Nottingham, UK PATRICK DE VOS Ghent University, Belgium OLE WAEVER Professor of International Politics, University of Copenhagen, Denmark