JamesPCross

The role of language in shaping German economic philosophy

Against the background of the Eurozone crisis, Germany’s economic thinking has been subject to intense public debate in the english speaking world, and historical experiences and cultural differences have sometimes been adduced to explain Germany’s preoccupation with balanced budgeting and independent central banking. In this post Caroline Bhattacharya argues that German economic policy is deeply intertwinedContinue reading “The role of language in shaping German economic philosophy”

With No Direction Home?

Labour mobility imbalances between European Core and Periphery: evidence from Italy and Portugal In this post Vincenzo Maccarrone argues that much of the debate on the European economic crisis has concentrated on the presence of structural imbalances between Northern and Southern European countries[1]. When discussing this inequality most commentators focus on the differences in current accountsContinue reading “With No Direction Home?”

The EU Global Strategy: The perils of pragmatism

The following blog post is part of an ongoing conversation on on the EU Global Strategy published on the Global Justice Blog of the GLOBUS H2020-funded research programme Reconsidering European Contributions to Global Justice. _______________________________________________ The delivery of the EU Global Strategy does indeed renew the EU’s commitment to adapt to today’s challenging times. ItContinue reading “The EU Global Strategy: The perils of pragmatism”

The Political Economy of Brexit: London Will Adapt.

Everyone is trying to second guess the negotiating strategy of Theresa May, and how the EU will respond. No country should be more concerned about this than Ireland, the only EU country to share a border with the UK. Next week, the Irish government will host an all Ireland civic dialogue. Political economy considerations have neverContinue reading “The Political Economy of Brexit: London Will Adapt.”

Themes in the study of Ireland and European Union membership

The following is the introductory summary of a forthcoming article in the EU Politics and Comparative Regional Integration series for the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics on “Ireland and the European Union”. This series is designed to be a dynamic, on-line source for researchers, teachers, and students throughout the world. Articles are expected to provideContinue reading “Themes in the study of Ireland and European Union membership”

A smart or a bold move: how Merkel dealt with the refugee crisis

Ying Zang is a Master of Public Policy student in UCD. This blog was written for POL40160 Comparative Public Policy. The best blogs from this module were selected to enable talented graduate students in UCD to contribute to ongoing debates about contemporary policy issues affecting European societies. Ever since the Syrian refugee crisis erupted in the summer ofContinue reading “A smart or a bold move: how Merkel dealt with the refugee crisis”

TTIP and the erosion of environmental regulation

Marie Therese Power is a Master of Public Policy student in UCD. This blog was written for POL40160 Comparative Public Policy. The best blogs from this module were selected to enable talented graduate students in UCD to contribute to ongoing debates about contemporary policy issues affecting European societies. There has been much discussion in recent times about theContinue reading “TTIP and the erosion of environmental regulation”

‘Taking back control’? After the Brexit referendum

A fortnight after the British referendum on EU membership, Britain is still in turmoil. Some of the negative lessons are all too clear: don’t try to solve party political problems by invoking existential issues; referendums are volatile and uncertain; if you must have one, get a crack team together first. But, as weary politicians are fond of saying,Continue reading “‘Taking back control’? After the Brexit referendum”

The German Federal Constitutional Court – Defender of Parliamentary Democracy or an Alternative ‘Political’ Arena?

In its EU-related judgements, the German Federal Constitutional Court has frequently reminded the Bundestag of its government-related responsibilities, that is, to hold the government accountable and to scrutinise executive behaviour in EU-level negotiations. During the eurozone crisis, the parliament’s budget autonomy has also entered the limelight. One the one hand, the Court has beenContinue reading “The German Federal Constitutional Court – Defender of Parliamentary Democracy or an Alternative ‘Political’ Arena?”

Brexit and the Idea of European Disintegration

Britain has voted to leave the European Union (EU), or more accurately, England has voted to leave. The majority in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Gibraltar voted to remain. The opinion polls, the bookies and the markets did not predict this outcome. The mood of the nation, it would seem, is becoming increasingly difficult to measure. Or is it?Continue reading “Brexit and the Idea of European Disintegration”