Search

In order to deal with the question of European society, it is useful to introduce a social-theoretical perspective that investigates the dynamics of multiplicity underlying European transformations. There are at least three co-existing routes to Europe-making that often clash with each other: “thick”, “thin”, and “parallel” Europe-making. These are in tune with definitions of Europe as an “exclusive civilizational entity”, as a “problem-solving instrument”, and as representing world society, respectively. Based on a notion of European multiplicity, this study argues that contemporary European society cannot to be reduced to a particular dynamic or to a set of actors, norms, and institutions because it paradoxically incorporates at the same time “thick”, “thin”, and “parallel” Europe-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sociological institutionalist approach known as ‘World Society’ led by Stanford sociologist John W. Meyer is a useful way to move beyond the state- and EU-centrism that is still prevalent in European studies. It resonates well with both the ‘sociological turn’ in European studies and the rise of constructivist critiques against rational choice accounts of European transformations. Furthermore, it helps to develop neo-institutionalist scholarship on European affairs by providing a macro-sociological approach that establishes the ‘missing link’ between the EU and its broader social environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper offers an alternative interpretation of borders, one not centred on a familiar state–security–mobility nexus. It outlines a “vernacularised” border studies which emphasises the role of ordinary people in bordering activity and the potential for connectivity that borders often display, coupled with a recognition that borders are not always a possession of the nation state. The paper outlines ways in which border politics are manifest in processes of fixity/unfixity; in a “world in motion” borders are structures of fixity that lend order to everyday interactions (ontological security). Moreover, borders are a political resource that a range of actors can draw upon in everyday life. The framework for a vernacularised border studies is applied to three cases: the “Stroud pound”, an example of bottom-up securitisation via a vernacular border; and the EU's Frontex border and the UK's offshore border, both of which show an ambivalence between fixity and unfixity. In these cases the intentionality of the borders is not matched by their accountability. The paper ends by relating the discussion of vernacularised borders to Appadurai's interpretation of “production festishism” in order to further highlight the complex interaction of the local and the global in bordering practices. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Existing accounts of the relationship between cosmopolitanism and borders tend to assume that cosmopolitans are able to cross borders with ease, or even live across borders. Consequently, such accounts bring to the fore a cosmopolitan agency that, by definition, renders borders easier to cross but crucially, in doing so, fail to take into account the changing nature of borders. This paper challenges the traditional relationship between borders and cosmopolitanism by focusing on the changing nature of contemporary border processes. Using this as a framework, it is asserted that focusing on post-national border monuments can generate new perspectives on borders. More specifically, in order to understand post-national border monuments, it is argued that borders must be viewed less as markers of division and more in terms of mechanisms of connectivity and encounter. To this end, the paper offers some novel intellectual resources – namely ideas concerning interfaces and scale – that capture the ways in which borders are able to connect well beyond that which is proximate. The paper also considers the rationale behind two recently proposed border monuments - the ‘Star of Caledonia’ situated on the English/Scottish border and the ‘White Horse’ at Ebbsfleet in the south of England – in order to show how certain borders, some of which are located in non-traditional locations, are being (re)configured as visibly welcoming and ‘outward looking’. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper develops a non-state centric approach to the study of borders, building upon Balibar's ‘borders are everywhere’ thesis. It offers a critique of the assumption of consensus (mutual recognition of borders) in border studies. It is argued that borders do not have to be visible to all in order to be effective. The case for a multiperspectival border studies is then outlined: borders cannot be properly understood from a single privileged vantage point and bordering processes can be interpreted differently from different perspectives. A key dimension of a multiperspectival approach to border studies is examined in detail: borderwork, societal bordering activity undertaken by citizens. This is explored at several UK sites in order to demonstrate the ways in which borders are not always the project of the state, that they can exist for some (but not all), and can link people to the world beyond the ‘local’ border. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including Turkey and European Union (EU) relations, EU integration agenda and utilization of globalization theory.

In international cricket it has long been the case that the pinnacle of a player's career is representing his country in Test matches against other national sides. However, there are signs that this perception is changing and it is quite possible that in the near future (if not already) players will put their Twenty20 careers ahead of their Test careers, and in so doing undermine the status of cricket's hitherto most prestigious contests. Recently, West Indies captain Chris Gayle declared that he wouldn't be unhappy if Test cricket was replaced by Twenty20, a statement that caused widespread consternation throughout the Test-playing world. In the past few years cricket has witnessed the emergence the ‘freelance player’, leading Test match players such as Shane Bond of New Zealand, and Adam Gilchrist, Shaun Tait, and Brett Lee of Australia who have retired early from Tests in order to ward off injury and prolong their earnings potential in the IPL (Indian Premier League). Also, ‘portfolio’ cricketers have emerged, for example West Indian Kieron Pollard who has Twenty20 contracts in Australia, England, the IPL, and Trinidad. The financial rewards from playing in the IPL and other Twenty20 tournaments are such that a growing number of players believe that they no longer need to pursue a conventional career path: Twenty20 now represents an alternative career structure. The paper will consider the implications of this player-driven development for the future of other forms of the game. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the guest editors discuss various reports within the issue on topics related to cricket including one on the television program (TV) "Twenty20," one regarding the success of Indian Premier League (IPL), and the issue on global portfolio player.

The article discusses various reports published within the issue including "Borderwork beyond inside/outside?," by Nick Vaughan-Williams and "Rebordering the city for new security challenges," by Jon Coaffee and Peter Rogers.

Current thinking on Europe's borders is characterised by a tension between, on the one hand, the idea of 'network Europe', in which the importance of internal borders is much reduced as a result of the flows and mobilities characteristic of the single market and the 'four freedoms', and, on the other, the idea that Europe is being 'rebordered' as the result of security concerns over the threat of terrorism, illegal immigration, trafficking in drugs and people, and so forth. As a result there is a tension between the idea of Europe as a space of networked mobility and a 'fortress Europe' of securitized threats. It is argued that cosmopolitanism can offer another perspective on Europe's borders that takes us beyond debates on networks and territorial security. A cosmopolitanism perspective focuses on the importance of borders and border crossings in our daily lives and argues that borders and mobilities are not antithetical: borders also facilitate connectedness and mobility, albeit in a selective way. What is a border to some is a gateway to others. The paper will focus on the multiplicity of borders in contemporary Europe: the dispersal of borders throughout society alluded to by Balibar; the idea of 'borderlands' as new spaces of EU governance; and the mobility of borders themselves. The paper will also deal centrally with the question of 'who borders?', arguing that in contemporary Europe (and elsewhere) bordering is no longer the preserve of nation-states: societies, citizens, advocacy groups, and supra-national institutions are also implicated in processes of bordering and rebordering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cosmopolitan perspectives on contemporary social and political issues have made inroads into EU studies, despite official EU discourse making no reference to Europeans as cosmopolitans. There are three main dimensions to the cosmopolitanization of the EU studies agenda: (i) a rethinking of transnationalism and globalization in relation to the EU; (ii) an increasing interest in the social dimensions of Europeanization; and (iii) a growing multi-disciplinarity in the study of contemporary Europe. There are several reasons for the increased interest in cosmopolitanism: a growing disenchantment with nationalism; recognition of the importance of global civil society; the 'cosmopolitan democracy' thesis advanced by Archibugi and Held; and the growing importance of human rights as a benchmark for democracy. Cosmopolitanism encourages a shift from a concern with the role of the nation-state in Europe to a broader sense of its role in the world, and relativizes Europe and the EU by placing them in a global context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on globalization and limitations of European integration studies. Centrality of integration to European Union studies; Effects of globalization on European integration studies; Interdisciplinary vision of European Union research on European integration.

Presents an argument on the lack of consistency in Turkey's approach to align domestic democratic norms with those of the European Union. Developments in EU-Turkey relations; Discussion on the banning of the Islamist Virtue Party; Conclusion.

There has been a renewed interest in the idea of society of late. Sociological studies of globalization have posed the question of how to understand society without the nation-state, and studies of European Union (EU) integration have linked the non-emergence of a European society to the 'democratic deficit'. In both cases what is at issue is how to understand the social dynamics of transnational spaces. This paper advances three main arguments in relation to the idea of European society. First, despite its popularity, the concept of civil society is of limited use for understanding European society. Second, European society should not be seen as a unified and coherent whole but as a series of non-integrated, fragmented and autonomous public spheres. Third, European society cannot be understood in the singular. A plurality of European public and social spaces exist, often beyond the control of, or unrelated to, the EU or its member states. In short, European social spaces are not harmonious and cohesive, nor are they necessarily constituted by European integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the importance of European Union (EU) expectations regarding human rights and democratization within the context of Turkey's EU candidature in the post-Helsinki period. Analysis of the February 2000 events surrounding the arrest of three elected mayors representing HADEP (People's Democratic Party) in southeastern Turkey; Impact of Kemalism on Turkish political life.

Deals with issues associated with Turkey's inclusion in the European Union's enlargement process. Helsinki European Council's confirmation of Turkey as a candidate for European Union (EU) membership; Fulfillment of an ambition that can be traced back to the Association Agreement signed in 1963; Closest form of economic integration with the EU short of full membership.

Globalization is frequently assumed to be responsible for creating the economic environment in which a much greater degree of European Union (EU) economic integration is deemed necessary. In contrast, this paper argues that globalization, in conjunction with neo-liberal growth, has led to autonomization as well as integration. The term autonomization designates both that economic governance is increasingly delegated to autonomous regions, and that neo-liberal economic policies tend to fragment and divide in their pursuit of growth. The paper investigates the tension between the role in which globalization has cast the region, and the region as a central player in the EU's cohesion strategy. Cohesion policy-measures to combat underdevelopment and backwardness-plays a key role in integration and growth strategies. It is argued that cohesion has become detached from its redistributive origins and incorporated in a discourse of competitiveness and growth. The region has emerged as both the site upon which the global acts upon the EU, and the level at which the EU has determined that the processes of globalization can best be accommodated. It is suggested that the tension between cohesion and autonomization introduced by globalization is a central dynamic at work in the contemporary EU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]