In 2005, the Dutch referendum on whether to ratify the treaty establishing a European constitution dramatically exposed the rift between political and public opinion in European policymaking. Additionally, the referendum demonstrated that politicians had failed to function as adequate links between Europe as an entity and its Dutch citizens. Against this turbulent background, the authors analyze the European Union’s relative lack of legitimacy in the Netherlands and advise how its image might earn more popular appeal by going beyond traditional institutional approaches.

Die Epoche der Renaissance (spätes 14. bis frühes 17. Jahrhundert) war die intensivste Phase der Antikerezeption in der Geschichte Europas. Die Wiederentdeckung, Aneignung und Weiterentwicklung der Errungenschaften der Antike haben die Kultur der Frühen Neuzeit auf allen Gebieten entscheidend geprägt. Das Lexikon zum Renaissance-Humanismus verfolgt diese Entwicklung vom Wirken Petrarcas bis zur Zeit der Reformation und Konfessionalisierung in 130 ausführlichen Beiträgen zu Sachthemen, Schlüsselfiguren und zentralen Orten der humanistischen Bewegung.

Britain's relationship with the European Union (EU) is frequently viewed as simple by the media and politicians. In ways - never really explained - the EU has managed to 'take away' Britain's sovereign powers and has the ability to determine much of its legislation. The history of how this has occurred is never discussed, unlike other countries in Europe.How Europe shapes British public policy examines the development of the EU as a sectarian issue in the UK. It discusses the effects of disengagement through the political practices of policy making and the implications that this has had for depoliticisation in government and the civil service. It considers the effects of EU membership in shaping key policy areas - trade and privatisation, the single market and the environment, and subsidiarity in the development and implementation of devolved and decentralised governance.This book gives new and essential insights for students and practitioners of politics, governance and international relations.

This book discusses the domestic politics of treaty reform in the European Union, from the failed referendums on the Constitutional Treaty held in France and the Netherlands in May-June 2005 to the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon in December 2009. The chapters, written by some of the finest scholars in the field of EU/European politics, show how European integration has increasingly become a contested issue in a majority of Member States. Going beyond the view that national governments are the main, if not the sole, driving force in the process of European integration, this book shows that other actors and factors have played a central role in preference formation and inter-state bargaining. These include: political parties, public opinion, the media, presidents, constitutional courts and, more broadly, political systems, ratification hurdles and the general negotiation context. National Politics and European Integration combines empirical analysis and theoretical explanations for one of the most controversial periods in the history of the European Union. This important book will be of great interest for advanced students in EU studies, comparative politics and public policy.

Annotation. Also available in Dutch "http://www.aup.nl/do.php?a=show_visitor_book&isbn=9789089643018">Aan het buitenland gehecht Few other countries are so interrelated with the world around us in political, economic, and social respects as the Netherlands. This means that the Dutch government needs to be alert in its response to the risks and opportunities presented by a rapidly changing world. Addressing this issue, the Scientific Council for Government Policy (wrr) offers some reflections in this report, guided by the question how the Netherlands can develop a foreign policy strategy that matches the changing power relations in the world and the radically changed character of international relations. The answer to this question is a reorientation. This means making transparent choices, making smarter use of Europe as our dominant arena, and, finally, choosing an approach that makes better use of the growing role of non-state actors. The report's recommendations not only underline the necessity of reorientation but also show how this could be accomplished in practice.