Whose Sovereignty? Exploring the Role and Function of Political Philosophy in European Studies

This contribution assesses how political philosophy may provide a contribution to European studies. The European Union brings major challenges for modern philosophy, which relate first to the identification of its political form. But to this explanatory account is joined a normative dimension: what is at stake is to identify what would be for the Union the appropriate form of sovereignty and government. To this extent, political philosophy may state the principles which must legitimately organize the European Union – principles which guide the improvement of its institutions by aiming for democracy, freedom and justice.