European governance and democracy : power and protest in the EU /

This is a very timely book that examines governance and democracy in the European Union. Democratic deficit and lack of proper channels for citizens' initiatives at the EU level have become serious concerns as regional integration deepens in Europe. Balme (Sciences Po, Paris) and Chabanet (European Univ. Institute, Florence) examine how supranational institutions influence democratization through a series of case studies. They demonstrate how powerful social movements emerged in the EU that affect public policy in areas such as regional policy, unemployment and poverty, women's rights, migration policy, and environmental protection. They present a comprehensive analysis of collective action in the expanded EU through a mix of quantitative and qualitative analysis. The authors show that democratic deficit in the EU does not lie with a lack of public interest in participation. Instead the problem is rooted in the lack of commitment to social justice among EU citizens that is caused by disjuncture between national and EU policy spheres on the one hand, and civil society movements and EU institutions on the other hand. This study is valuable for students and observers of EU politics, as well as for those interested in social justice, democratization, and civil society movements. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate, research, and professional collections. B. A. Yesilada Portland State University