
Beyond nationalism
Acting and thinking for the common good in the European Union
Joao Labareda(Author)
Manchester University Press
Will be published approx. on 23. June 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
216 pages
978-1-5261-9803-7 (ISBN)
Description
This book discusses the meaning of the common good in a European Union thorned by nationalist tendencies and presents concrete policies to improve its achievement. It analyses the normative relevance of EU values as a shared moral standpoint that allows highly diverse member states to label a given collective choice as 'good' or 'bad'. It discusses the role of EU institutions as both guardians and enablers of EU values in a globalised world and introduces a few proposals for institutional reform at the EU level that could strengthen this role. It also presents six strategies to improve civic friendship in the EU, in the absence of which any institutional efforts to promote the common good may be undermined by the citizens' lack of willingness to share its burdens. -- .
Reviews / Votes
'The European Union is a laboratory for policies pursuing a common good beyond the nation. Labareda's excellent book fills not only a gap in the normative literature on the EU but contributes also significantly to the current revival of the concept of the common good by demonstrating how it can guide concrete reforms.'Rainer Bauboeck, Austrian Academy of Sciences
'Labareda (European Commission) proposes various solutions to preserve the essential character of the EU. He seeks to strengthen the EU's institutional framework by establishing a new set of bodies, such as the European Transnational Tax Authority, the European Credit Rating Agency, and the Agency for Fair Trade. He also proposes to remove the unanimity rule, split the legislative responsibilities of the European Commission from its supervisory responsibility, and foster closer ties between the European and national parliaments. Labareda maintains that these reforms should be accompanied by closer bonds of civic friendships through the introduction of a transnational curriculum on EU citizenship. This book presents thoughtful ideas on how to improve the European common good in the face of numerous challenges.'
-- P. Kurzer, University of Arizona
CHOICE: Recommended. Graduate students and faculty. -- .
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Manchester
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 11 mm
Weight
308 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5261-9803-7 (9781526198037)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Joao Labareda is the Coordinator of the European Innovation Ecosystems Work Programme at the European Commission. -- .
Content
Introduction: Acting and thinking for the common good in the European Union
1 What is the common good?
2 Understanding EU values
3 National interests versus the common good: A way forward for the European Union
4 EU institutions for the common good
5 Building civic friendship in the European Union
Conclusion -- .
1 What is the common good?
2 Understanding EU values
3 National interests versus the common good: A way forward for the European Union
4 EU institutions for the common good
5 Building civic friendship in the European Union
Conclusion -- .