EUPOLCON · Conceptualizing representative democracy in the EU polity by re-thinking classical key conceptual clusters for the EU multi-level polity

Aims of the research project: The interdisciplinary project aims at a thematic set of post-Habilitation studies of the applicant in co-operation with senior scholars from the host institute. More specifically, the aims are 1) To sketch a conceptual framework for representative democracy in the European Union developed in a broad historical perspective of political thought and conceptual change through the analysis of key texts of classical and modern political thinking. The conceptual framework is constructed around three key conceptual clusters (state-government-policy-polity; parliament-representation-politicians; citizens-subjects) as thematic perspectives. There clusters are both challenged by European integration and discussed in the debates on the character of the EU. 2) To extend the methodological insights of conceptual history on the contingent and controversial character of political concepts to past and present debates on the EU as a changing polity 3) To establish a disciplinary link between conceptual history, Democratisation studies and European integration studies, supported by insights from constitutional law, philosophy, history and linguistics