ARENA Working Papers 2002
ARENA working papers are pre-prints of research articles and chapters analysing issues of European governance and politics.
Voice and access: Political practices of diffuse and specific interest associations in European policy making
What strategies are chosen by interest associations seeking to influence EU policy? This article investigates the pursuit of (i) access to policy networks and (ii) voice by political campaigns and finds the strategies to co-exist at the EU level.
Europe in Search of its Legitimacy - Assessing Strategies of Legitimation
This paper discusses different strategies for mending the legitimacy deficit of the EU; it is argued here that legitimacy could be attained by way of three different paths, each pertaining to a a special vision of what the EU is and should be.
Implications of globalization on the raison d'être of European integration
This essay investigates the conceptual and empirical links between globalization and Europeanization, tracing a common logic in contemporary developments.
Why a Charter of Fundamental Human Rights in the EU?
This paper debates the formalisation of fundamental human rights in the EU Charter; focus is placed on the tension between national sovereignty and assumedly universal rights. The EU is seen in the prospect of a cosmopolitan order possibly resolving the human rights dilemma.
Europe at a Crossroads - Government or Transnational Governance?
With the tension between government and governance as starting point, this paper discusses the nature of the EU. Focusing on institutional aspects, it attempts to answer the question: Could the Union move be a way of democratising transnational governance?
Statoil – between Nationalisation, Globalisation and Europeanisation
This paper accounts for national regulation of the oil sector in Norway. It focuses on the manner in which Statoil has met the challenges from Europeanization and globalisation. One of the observations is that the Norwegian regulatory model has shown a marked resilience towards international reform, yet has adapted incrementally to these developments.
Multiple Embeddedness and Socialization in Europe: The Case of Council Officials
Feeding from empirical as well as conceptual inquiry, this paper questions the hypothesis of a clear-cut shift from national towards EU-level allegiance on the part of national officials. Actors, it is maintained, are embedded in multiple social environments, among which the national element remains of primary importance.
New Foundations for Social Rights: A deliberative democratic approach
This paper takes as point of departure the argued case for a European constitution implementing social as well as fundamental human rights. It discusses further what effects could and should follow from a formalization of social rights in the EU.
Decentralised Integration as a New Model of Joint Exercise of Community Functions?
From a starting point of relatively clear-cut division of competence between national and supra-national administration, the governing of the EU has incrementally turned towards multi-level adminstraion, characterised by the blurring of previous administrative borders. This paper discusses this development in the form of emerging networks around EU agencies in different sectors.
The European Comission - the evolving EU executive
The European Commission, in some ways more similar to a national government than to international institutions, is the object of scrutiny in this paper. On the basis of contrasting theoretical perspectives, the importance of nationality to Commission proceedings is considered; the paper finds the organizational perspective to offer particularly valuable insights in this area.
Norway, the EEA and Neo-liberal globalism
This paper seeks to analyse relations between Norway and the EU in the double framework of globalisation and liberalisation. As argued in the paper, the EU itself as well as Norway's participation through the EEA may be seen as a promotion of as well as a defence against liberalist, globalising forces. The paper attempts to account for Norwegian EU adaptation in the light of its general pattern of globalisation.
The transformation of the nation-state: Why compare the EU and Canada?
This paper sheds some light on the peaceful and democratic transformation of the nation-state occurring in Europe. It offers a systematic comparison of the EU experience with that of Canada, a democracy variously referred to as a post-national entity, multinational federation, or confederation.
Integrating Institutions: Theory, Method, and the Study of the European Union
Accounting for the role of EU institutions in the integration process,this introductory essay also brings a wider debate about the usefulness of institutional theory.
Towards a European Administrative Space?
This paper debates the concept of administrative convergence in the light of a putative European model of administration. It is found that ideal-type characteristics may be too general to capture the multitude of administrative and organizational practices.
Towards a World Domestic Policy
From a habermasian perspective and based on developments of human rights enforcement, this paper makes the claim that a cosmopolitan law is in the making. The argument ties together normative political theory and insights about European and international integration.
What legitimate role for Euro-citizens?
This paper debates the different strands of thought embedded in democratisation of the European Union. One logical starting point is that a closely integrated Union must entail a common public sphere with a say in European affairs.
Coping with Conflict at Constitutional Moments
This paper discusses the inherent problems of political engineering through constitutionmaking. It is argued that conflict is often easier to contain in routine politics than at constitutional moments. How, then, does process inflict on inflict on visions and ideas when attempting to create a viable constitutional entity?
An Essay on the Foundations of Comparative Historical Social Science
Focusing on the dynamic between sociology and history, this essay makes the case for a synthesis of history and the social sciences by which the pitfalls of both may be avoided and research more dynamically perceived.
Tilbake til Europa
Denne artikkelen ser nærmere på den påvirkning forventninger om EU-medlemskap har hatt på utviklingen i sentral- og østeuropeiske kandidatland siden den kalde krigens slutt.
This paper looks at developments in candidate countries in Central and Eastern Europe generated by their membership aspirations in the EU. A key observation is that by way of membership and conversion criteria, the EU has affected internal developments in each of the nation states way prior to formal membership. The paper is in Norwegian.
Shifting legal dogma: From Republicanism to Fascist Ideology under the Early Franquismo
Drawing on broad historical insights, this paper accounts for the development of legal doctrine under Franco's regime in Spain; special emphasis is placed on the conformism of liberal intellectual scholars, which helped justify the formal legality of authoritarian rule.
An organisational approach to European integration - What organisations tells us about system transformation, committee governance and Commission decision making
This paper presents some insights from an organisational approach to European integration. For exemplification, focus is put on (i) committees and (ii) Commission work; a key observation is that manner of organisation bears heavily on the extent to which institutions shape individual actors.
Exporting rights: The Charter of Fundamental Rights, membership and foreign policy of the European Union
Analysing the implications of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, this paper argues that the Charter represents a culmination of the EU as a rights-based entity. Effects of this formalisation will be manifest in the EU's external relations - that is, towards applicant countries as well as in the common foreign and security policy.
National Implementation of EU Law and the Shaping of European Administrative Policy
This paper looks closer at the emerging European administrative policy, starting from the observation that albeit EU-driven harmonisation lacks a legal basis in Community law, it is nevertheless an unrefutable fact of national administrative policy.
Sovereignty at the Boundaries of the Polity
This paper discusses the topic of rights to political participation in the EU context, focusing on concepts such as sovereignty and citizenship and the inherent tension between nation-state and EU level competence.
Rawls in the Nordic Countries
What has been the impact of John Rawls’s work in the Nordic countries? This paper argues that in spite of difficult preconditions, the normative contract theory of Rawls has influenced the shape of government and welfare regimes. It is suggested that the relevance and impact of Rawlsian theory to the Nordic countries will increase with the process of Europeanisation.
Persuasion in International Institutions
Neatly combining a theoretical argument with empirical studies, this paper attempts to conceptualise persuasion in the context of opinion formation in international institutions.
Konstitusjonsdebatt og reformer: Europeiske eksperimenter og norsk nøling
Hva er drivkreftene bak konstitusjonell endring, og hvordan plasserer norsk grunnlovsdebatt og manglende reform seg i et europeisk perspektiv? Denne artikkelen gir en vurdering av disse spørsmålene, med grunnlag i observasjonen at Norge ofte har ligget etter europeiske kolleger i konstitusjonell reform.
This paper discusses Norwegian constitutional reform (or the lack thereof) in a comparative European context, questioning why and to what extent Norway has been lagging behind European colleagues in reforming the constitution. The paper is in Norwegian.
The process of Europeanization - the case of Norway and the Internal Energy Market
Investigating the concept of Europeanization, this paper highlights the case of internalising EU energy sector legislation in Norway. One of the arguments is that institutional and legal structure must be supplemented by actor intentions and barganing to fully explain the process and outcome of Europeanization.
ESA - mer katolsk enn paven?
Hva er ESAs faktiske rolle i overvåkning og implementering av EØS-avtalen, og hvorfor er organet så omstridt? Denne artikkelen tar et overblikk over disse spørsmålene og skisserer noen svar.
What is the factual role of ESA under the EEA Agreement, and why is the work of ESA so controversial in the member states? Some suggestive answers are given in this paper. The paper is in Norwegian.
Towards a Normalisation of German Security and Defence Policy: German Participation in International Military Operations
This paper investigates the transition of German foreign policy towards active participation in military operations abroad. It is argued here that exaplanations of German policy change should focus on the processes of deliberation and justification in the national public sphere.
Discourse and order: On the conditions of governance in non-hierarchical multi-level systems
Charters and constitution-making: Comparing the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the European Charter of Fundamental Rights
Legal status and policy implications of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union
Dømmer Høyesterett i siste instans?
I denne artikkelen vurderes Høyesteretts antatt ubestridte posisjon i et nasjonalt juridisk hierarki. I en kontekst med internasjonalisering av lovregimer, i hvilken grad er det fortsatt den nasjonale Høyesterett som sitter med siste instans av dømmende makt?
This paper discusses whether and to what extent the Norwegian Supreme Court remains the ultimate body of judicial power in a context of international law regimes. The paper is in Norwegian.
Demokratisierung der Europäischen Union - oder: Europäiserung der Demokratie? Überlegungen sur Zukunft der Demokratie jenseits des Nationalstaates
Changes in the organization of public administration and in the relations between the public and the private sectors: Consequences of the evolution of Europeanization, globalisation and risk society
Why Europeanisation Happens: The Transformative Power of EU Committees
From an institutional point of view, this paper studies role perceptions and allegiance of national civil servants participating in EU committes.
The Many Faces of Europeanization
This paper takes the contested concept of Europeanization, investigates its contrasting uses and maps out an institutional approach to European dynamics of change.
Formålstjenlige privatsrettslige former for offentlig virksomhet
Denne artikkelen tar for seg offentlig virksomhet i privatrettslig lys, med fokus på organisering og virkemidler innenfor spenningen offentlig vs. privat tjenesteytelse.
This paper considers public services and welfare in the light of common law, focusing on organisation and instruments for the national administration. The paper is in Norwegian.