European Integration and Sovereignty: A Proposal of Re-conceptualisation

Abstract

Many scholars deploy a deep-rooted perception that the participation of countries in the European Union (EU) involves a loss, or at least a limitation, of national sovereignty. The argument has widespread acceptance among Eurosceptic and Europhile sectors (but not only). This essay aims at, firstly, finding out whether the modernisation of political science (of which European integration studies is an emanation) lies at the heart of the deconstruction of national sovereignty as a concept. Pegging to this non-mainstream approach, the essay challenges the monolithic perception of sovereignty, searching for new avenues that bring fresh blood to the analysis and trigger the re-conceptualisation of sovereignty. Secondly, the essay borrows on the analytical tools of European integration critics to challenge mainstream thinking, trying to measure the effects of European integration on national sovereignty. The core argument is that sovereignty needs to be deconstructed and then re-constructed. To that purpose, the concept of sovereignty must consider the current political-economic context at the worldwide level.