Professor Wolfram Kaiser takes part in the first ever online book presentation organised by the European Parliament Research Service in Brussels

Wolfram Kaiser, Professor of European Studies, recently participated in the European Parliament Research Service’s first ever (due to Covid-19) online book presentation. The full recording of the presentation can be found on the European Parliament Research Services’ website.

Wolfram was there to discuss some of the ideas raised in the newly-published paperback edition of his book, co-authored with Johan Schot: Writing the Rules for Europe- Experts, Cartels, and International Organizations, available through Palgrave.

Wolfram said: “Imposed by the Covid-19 situation, this event was nevertheless a great opportunity for a more inclusive online discussion of our book with many people from within and outside of the European Parliament. The EPRS is already envisioning moving all or some of their events online in future based on the experience with our book presentation.”

This event was nevertheless a great opportunity for a more inclusive online discussion of our book with many people from within and outside of the European Parliament. The EPRS is already envisioning moving all or some of their events online in future.

Wolfram Kaiser, Professor of European Studies

“In our book we show how technocratic experts often managed to address transnational issues through informal cooperation in the past. In the case of the current Covid-19 crisis, however, networks of health professionals are weakly organised. Despite the existence of the World Health Organization, national governments have co-opted health professionals as national experts with a role at best in guiding ad hoc national measures. The crisis’ character has made it very difficult for experts to prioritise their transnational networks and advocacy for transnational solutions, in Europe and beyond.”

The book is part of the Making Europe book series which over the last ten years has seen 13 distinguished historians collaborating on six books. Together they have combined their knowledge and expertise to research modern European history on an unprecedented scale.

Writing the Rules for Europe explores how a process of ‘hidden’ economic integration, driven by engineers and technocrats, operated in Europe before the creation of the European Community. Their efforts to achieve common standards and convergent regulation helped build ‘peace through technology’ and laid the foundations of the single market of later years. The book argues that the future of Europe depends on finding a new arrangement between democracy and technocracy.

The book is written in an accessible engaging style with 75 images.

The Making Europe project can also be followed on Twitter.

The  Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence for the study of a Transnational Europe (CESTE2) focuses on current EU politics, European integration and disintegration.