A cosmopolitan Europe by constitutional means? Assessing the theoretical foundations of Habermas’ political prescriptions

Abstract:

In recent years, German philosopher Jürgen Habermas has called for the adoption of a federal constitution by the EU. As such - particularly given the impact of his thought on the social sciences more generally, and its affinities with traditional theories of European integration - a question arises: why has a specifically Habermasian theory of European integration not developed? This article argues that one is already present, albeit implicitly, in the interstices between Habermas' journalistic and theoretical oeuvres, merely requiring delimitation, exegesis and application. It combines a sophisticated and comprehensive account of European integration and democracy with an innovative 'hermeneutic' dimension. The latter broadens the parameters of EU studies to encompass relevant developments in European culture. Having identified its component parts and 'reconstructed' this theory, the article concludes by subjecting it to a preliminary empirical test against the results of interviews with radical left and social democratic MEPs and personnel.