Building a thorough and comprehensive understanding of the limits of the international rules-based liberal order across a variety of issue areas, this topical book highlights how the discourse and values inherent in these long-established political arrangements are now facing a backlash. Leading scholars examine how, with a greater dispersion of power and heterogeneity of preferences, Europe navigates a system characterized by a growing deadlock in major international institutions and a lack of compliance with international rules on global governance. Chapters analyse the challenges within international organizations and the international order itself, where the global balance of power is shifting towards a multipolar system. Challenges explored include populist-nationalist movements; rising geopolitical tensions; and growing inequality, political polarization and diminishing trust in political institutions. With the pull of global competition and rising power politics, the book identifies the limits to multilateral cooperation and the shortfalls of the traditional state-based liberal order in addressing global problems, finding a need for more diversity in governance structures to deal with increased connectivity and interdependence. Multi-disciplinary in scope, this forward-thinking book will prove vital to students and scholars of international relations, politics, and law, particularly those interested in the contestation and polarization in global governance, European responses to these challenges, and the transformation of the international liberal order.

This timely book explores the relationship between Japan and the European Union as they work increasingly closely together in many areas of global governance. It discusses the most salient areas of such cooperation from a range of perspectives, while examining not just convergences but also differences. Written by experts from both Europe and Japan, interdisciplinary chapters investigate both actors' current approaches to global governance and multilateralism as well as providing a historical perspective on their bilateral relations. The book explores their cooperation in areas stretching from trade and finance to security in light of the recent EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement and Strategic Partnership Agreement. Offering insights into their current relationship, it outlines challenges for the future, and draws relevant lessons from the history of global governance in Asia and Europe. Scholars of Asian and European law with an interest in international governance and regulation, and particularly those working in EU-Japan affairs, will find this a significant and stimulating read. It will also be useful for policy-makers in the EU and Japan working in international security, trade, and economic, monetary and financial policy.

Informed by and against the backdrop of the 2019 European Parliament (EP) elections, this innovative book provides a critical assessment of where Europe stands in terms of the quest to achieve democratic legitimacy. Since the 2014 EP elections, the European Union (EU) has experienced multiple crises, which arguably have undermined its legitimacy. The 2019 EP elections were hence seen as a crucial moment in the EU's attempts to show resilience and regain trust. Using political science and legal frames of analysis, Assessing the 2019 European Parliament Elections provides an understanding and assessment of the current politico-legal framework, and its impact on European elections. Furthermore, using original data, it provides a timely examination of public opinion issue priorities and voting behaviour at the 2019 EP elections in eight countries. Given the critical conjuncture that the 2019 EP elections represent, this volume provides a key contribution to understanding both the dynamics surrounding the elections, as well as voters' responses, and informs debates on European politics, for example, second-order elections, democratic legitimacy and political representation. This book will be of key interest to scholars and students of EU politics, public administration, European studies, European law, and sociology, along with practitioners in politics, journalism, and policy analysis.

'In a period marked by nationalism and populism, the relevance of the roles played by parliaments is sometimes underestimated and rather deserves greater attention. The book edited by Raube, Wouters and Muftuler-Bac gathers a group of leading scholars in the field of parliamentary studies and contributes to bridge a gap in a very sensitive policy field, that is to say the external relations of the European Union. A wide list of approaches and theoretical and empirical investigations demonstrates that, despite the dominant influence of the executive branches of government, not only networking of parliaments has enlarged, but also traditional and innovative roles, i.e. control and conflict mediation, have been amplifled and diversified. Therefore, parliaments are far from being put aside.' - Daniela Irrera, EuropeNow This insightful companion examines the role of parliaments in the external relations of the EU, a relatively under-explored topic of research in an increasingly complex international relations environment. In fact, this volume challenges the dominant perspective, demonstrating the increased networking of parliaments both within the EU and with external actors, shedding light on the growing role of parliamentary scrutiny, control and conflict mediation. Providing a comparative overview of parliamentary action in EU external relations, this book considers both the conceptual basis of these actions and examines key case studies for empirical analysis. It situates the EU's internal and external dimension of parliamentary cooperation in a wider context, engaging in a debate that goes beyond the EU into relationships with neighbouring regions as well as parliamentary institutions from other areas of the globe. Advanced students and researchers of EU external relations and global governance will greatly benefit from reading this timely book. At the same time, international relations and political science scholars will also appreciate this thorough and comprehensive volume. Contributors include: M.A. Afke Groen, M.A.H.K. Belley, K. Biedenkopf, T. Christiansen, A. Cianciara, I. Cooper, R. Cutler, M.A.F. De Vrieze, S. Delputte, I. Demirsu, M.A.D. Fonck, J.E. Fossum, D. Fromage, M. Gianniou, M. Gora, M.A.C. Glahn, S. Gurkan, D. Jan i , T. Lenz, C. Lord, M. Muftuler-Bac, G.G. Muller, X. Nuttin, L. Oehman, D. Peters, M.A.I. Petrova, K. Raube, L. Redei, G. Rosen, Z. Selden, M.A. Shaohua Yan, S. Stavridis, A. von Lingen, W. Wagner, J. Wodka, J. Wouters

Informed by and against the backdrop of the 2019 European Parliament (EP) elections, this innovative book provides a critical assessment of where Europe stands in terms of the quest to achieve democratic legitimacy. Since the 2014 EP elections, the European Union (EU) has experienced multiple crises, which arguably have undermined its legitimacy. The 2019 EP elections were hence seen as a crucial moment in the EU's attempts to show resilience and regain trust. Using political science and legal frames of analysis, Assessing the 2019 European Parliament Elections provides an understanding and assessment of the current politico-legal framework, and its impact on European elections. Furthermore, using original data, it provides a timely examination of public opinion issue priorities and voting behaviour at the 2019 EP elections in eight countries. Given the critical conjuncture that the 2019 EP elections represent, this volume provides a key contribution to understanding both the dynamics surrounding the elections, as well as voters' responses, and informs debates on European politics, for example, second-order elections, democratic legitimacy and political representation. This book will be of key interest to scholars and students of EU politics, public administration, European studies, European law, and sociology, along with practitioners in politics, journalism, and policy analysis.

As Europe becomes increasingly diverse, understanding the effects of differences among citizens within European democracy crucial. The contributors to "Difference and Democracy" take a novel interdisciplinary approach to this important dimension of social interaction, drawing on political science, sociology, communications studies, legal studies, and art history. Contrary to alarmist accounts of difference in Europe, these essays explore its potentially positive impact, outlining the conditions under which differences could lead to effective and legitimate political action.