The European citizens initiative and the democratic deficit in the European Union

• Název v anglickém jazyce: The European citizens initiative and the democratic deficit in the European Union
• Akademický rok vypsání: 2012/2013
• Typ práce: diplomová práce
• Jazyk práce: angličtina
• Ústav: Katedra evropských studií (23-KZS)
• Vedoucí / školitel: PhDr. Zuzana Kasáková, Ph.D.
• Řešitel: skrytý - zadáno vedoucím/školitelem
• Datum přihlášení: 08.05.2013
• Datum zadání: 08.05.2013
• Datum a čas obhajoby: 25.06.2014 00:00
• Místo konání obhajoby: IPS FSV UK, U kříže 8/661 158 00 Praha 5 – Jinonice
• Datum odevzdání elektronické podoby: 16.05.2014
• Datum proběhlé obhajoby: 25.06.2014
• Oponenti: PhDr. Irah Kučerová, Ph.D.

Předběžná náplň práce

Topic Characteristics:
A democratic deficit is associated broadly with a loss of accountability, transparency, inclusiveness, and legitimacy of the political institution. Since the inception of the Lisbon Treaty in Europe, some have argued that it has brought greater transparency within the Union and therefore there is no democratic deficit (Moravcsik, Majone), while others say it has created a bureaucratic institution without accountability, and therefore suffers from a democratic deficit (Hix, Follesdal). Additionally, when looking at the participatory nature in democracy, Sharpf indentifies two categories: input legitimacy (by the people) and output legitimacy (of the people); whilst Schmidt identifies a third aspect: throughput legitimacy. As not much has been written specifically regarding the Citizen’s Initiative (an example of input legitimacy), this thesis seeks to investigate whether this endevour reduces the democratic deficit in the European Union.

Working hypotheses:
Main hypothesis
1) The participatory nature of the Citizen’s Initiative contributes to the reduction of the democratic deficit in the EU

Methodology:
The aim of the thesis is to investigate whether the Citizen’s Initiative is a legitimate method in reducing the democratic deficit in the European Union. In order to achieve this, a case study research method will be employed, so as to investigate the contemporary phenomenon (democratic deficit) in depth, and within its real-life context (Citizen’s Initiative). The case study will contain a mixture of qualitative and quantitive data (legal documents; i.e Regulations/TFEU/TEU, interviews, questionnaires).

Předběžná náplň práce v anglickém jazyce

Outline:
1. Introduction
2. Research Framework
2.1. Legitimacy theory/methodology
3. Main Body
4. Conclusion
5. References

References/Bibliography:
Follesdal, A., 2006. ‘The Legitimacy Deficits of the European Union’, Journal of Political Philosophy, 14 (4), 441–68.
Follesdal, A. & Hix, S., 2006. Why There is a Democratic Deficit in the EU: A Response to Majone and Moravcsik. Journal of Common Market Studies , 44(3), 533-62.
Holzhacker, R.,2007. ‘Democratic Legitimacy and the European Union’, Journal of European Integration, 29 (3), 257–69
Kohler-Koch, B. & Ritberger ,B., 2007. (eds), Debating the Democratic Legitimacy of the European Union, Lanham MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
Majone, G., 1998. Europe's 'Democratic Deficit': The Question of Standards. European Law Journal , 4(1), 5-28.
Majone, G., 2009. Dilemmas of European Integration, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Moravcski, A., 2002. In Defence of the Democratic Deficit: Re-assessing Legitimacy in the European Union. Journal of Common Market Studies, 40(4), 603-624.
Nicolaïdis, K., 2013. 'European Demoicracy and Its Crisis European Demoicracy and Its Crisis', Journal Of Common Market Studies, 51(2), 351-369.
Parkinson, J., 2006. Deliberating In The Real World: Problems Of Legitimacy In Deliberative Democracy, Oxford University Press.
Parkinson, J., 2003. 'Legitimacy Problems in Deliberative Democracy', Political Studies, 51, 1, 180-196.
Schmidt, V. A., 2013. Democracy and Legitimacy in the European Union Revisited: Input, Output and Throughput. Political Studies, Volume 61, 2-22.
Sharpf, F. W., 1999. Governing in Europe: Effective and Democratic. Oxford : Oxford University Press .