Progress,democracy, efficiency: normative narratives in political science EU studies |
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Authors: | Richard McMahon |
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Institution: | 1. School of Social, Historical and Literary Studies, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UKrichard.mcmahon@port.ac.ukrychumac@yahoo.com |
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Abstract: | ABSTRACTThis article identifies influential political narratives in the 73 currently most highly cited political science articles on the EU. It is based on systematic analysis of expressions of normativity, which signal that European integration, or its institutions or policies, are bad, good, flourishing or declining. A normative narrative of continuous progress in integration, connected with a 1990s grand theoretical debate in EU studies, accounts for much of the positive tone of EU studies until about 1998. Narratives about the EU's democratic deficit and its impact beyond its borders help explain the subsequent negative turn in EU studies normativity. |
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Keywords: | European integration democratic deficit European Union EU studies narratives progressive narrative |
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