Die Sprache und der Binnenmarkt im Europa der EU: Eine kleine Beziehungsaufstellung in 10 Punkten = Language and Internal Market in the Europe of the EU: How they relate to each other in 10 short Points. EDAP 1/2005

“Language and Markets” is the topic of this article, which examines their relationship in ten short points. Specifically, it addresses the interrelationship between res publica (the state), lingua (the language) and forum (the market). The establishment of both the res publica and the forum has often led to a decrease in linguistic diversity. At least, this is true if one considers the building of nation states. However, the same does not apply to European reality, despite the fact that the EU has succeeded in establishing an efficient forum and a common res publica. The article goes on to explore the general state of the phenomena of linguae, both in the European res publicae and in the European forum. It then explores the legal implications for national language policies when confronted with the four market freedoms in the European forum in detail. It concludes that the European forum does not seriously threaten European linguistic diversity, since a considerable degree of flexibility exists. In this respect the European res publica can learn from the European forum since the the former includes 20 official languages and preaches a rigid language system which will need some adaptation without putting linguistic diversity at risk. The author ends by stating that in the context of the very specific European “demoicracy” (a intertwined set of many democracies), market forces will not bring about the end of Europe’s linguistic diversity. Rather Europe will continue to offer a combination of a rather unique degree of economic unity with a rather unique degree of linguistic diversity

The stabilization and association process in the Western Balkans: an effective instrument of post-conflict management?

This article investigates the Stabilization and Association Process as an instrument of post-conflict management in the Western Balkans. It explores the appropriateness of the fit of the modified Central and Eastern European accession template with the added stabilization component to the post-conflict countries of the region. In addition, the article raises questions about the continued efficacy of the prolonged and faulty leveraging of conditionality as the EU's primary instrument for affecting transformative change in the Western Balkans. Finally, through the case study of minorities protection, the article suggests that insufficient attention has been paid to developing a comprehensive strategy for the stabilization of post-conflict societies and thus laying the foundations for stable consolidated statehood and a viable democratic peace throughout the region

Europe 'united in diversity': From a Central European identity to post-nationality?

Political and cultural diversity in contemporary Europe can be encountered on many levels and in a variety of forms. The significance of such political and cultural diversity is, however, differently understood, and conceptualized, and not always sufficiently appreciated in distinct perceptions of Europe. A variety of perceptions of Europe have played a role in the project of Eastern enlargement, even if a communitarian/unitarian vision of a single European identity seemed to prevail. Such a vision was not only promoted by Western European political forces, but also actively endorsed by some of the new-comers themselves, who, in a way, embedded the unitarian understanding of European identity in their local self-identification as 'Central Europe'. A unitary vision of Europe was, however, at odds with a number of connotations associated with the myth of a distinct Central European identity as it had emerged in the 1980s. The article identifies three understandings of the idea of Central Europe as they have historically emerged, and suggests their contemporary relevance for the European integration project. Subsequently, the usage and understanding of Central Europe will be briefly looked at in the context of the fifth enlargement project. Finally, the future of political and cultural integration in the post-enlargement era is hypothesized. While the unitary vision of European identity remains an important marker, a diversity-sensitive, post-national, and deliberative understanding of European identity seems increasingly important, an identity that can significantly build on an emancipatory reading of Central Europe. Copyright © 2008 Sage Publications