Europe as a Global Actor? A Historical Perspective

The recent shocks in the global economy and geopolitics triggered unprecedented reactions by the European institutions, that accelerated a widespread call for a comprehensive rethinking of the scope, instruments, and collective decision-making mechanisms of economic governance in the European Union. Hence, institutional and academic debates on the urge: to increase the European budget and single out European-wide public goods; to increase EU-own resources in view of an autonomous supranational fiscal capacity; to engage in a European industrial policy, implement common investments to face the digital and green transition and contrast climate changes; and to address the need for greater European security and defense sovereignty. In short, to acquire a global actorness.

Although these issues sound very topical today, most of them were already raised and discussed on several occasions in the long history of European integration: the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951 was endowed with autonomous fiscal capacity, later watered down; in 1953 the treaty for a European Defense Community was signed, but never ratified; in 1956 the Spaak Report pushed for a European industrial policy and European-wide investments, as did the Delors’s White Paper of 1993 (pointing precociously at a digital and green transition), both without success; several attempts at establishing a European Monetary Fund systematically failed; the McDougall report in 1977 suggested the enlargement of the supranational budget and the outlining of a few European public goods, which ignited a debate on own resources, both later ignored; in the last two decades academics have suggested the euro would become an international currency, comparable to the dollar, which nevertheless did not happen, etc. Tracing the reasons for the failure of these projects and the motivations that led to their abandonment in favor of different perspectives is essential to understanding the challenges that await the European Union in the years ahead. The current system is the outcome of the several paths – taken and not taken – by the European integration process in the past, with their conflicting intellectual forces, economic backgrounds, and national interests. The need for a full historical analysis of such crossroads is more necessary than ever, also to shed light on the current  public  and  academic  debates,  biased  by  an  increasing  radicalization  of  dominant narratives, in turn serving specific ideologies and interests. The goal of this workshop is to pierce through the veil of narratives, exploring the untaken roads of European economic integration, with their related intellectual background.

A few scholars in the history of economics, economic policy, and international relations have attempted to enquire into some aspects of past crossroads, especially those that appear to be relevant for todays’ debates. Such commendable attempts, lacking any coordination strategy, did not manage to surface either academic or public debates. They failed precisely in enhancing critical thought and a historical perspective on European economic integration. Hence, there is a need for a joint, scholarly effort.

Abstract Submission Guidelines:

Submit an abstract within 1,000 words. The abstract should ideally fall under one of the themes. When reviewing the abstracts, we will look for theoretical considerations/ assumptions, research questions, methodology, nature of evidence used to draw conclusions, and findings.

We encourage PhD scholars in the final year of writing up their doctoral work, postdoctoral scholars, and early career scholars (within 5 years of their PhD) to submit their abstracts for consideration.

Financial Support:

A limited number of travel and accommodation stipends are available for young scholars in the final year of their PhD and within seven years of completing their PhD. The travel stipend may not be enough for intercontinental travel.

Organizational details

The two-full-day workshop is not only open to – but warmly welcomes – the participation of young scholars from all areas of research dealing with the untaken roads of European economic integration (from perspectives, for example, of political science, international relations, contemporary history, etc).

The workshop will involve 10 young scholars who will have the opportunity to present their papers and enjoy a conversation with peers and senior scholars and 3 senior scholars, who will deliver one keynote speech each.

Each presentation/keynote speech will enjoy a time slot of 30 minutes, plus 30 minutes of Q&A session.

Important dates:

Last Date for abstract submission: 31st January 2025

Notification of selected Abstract: 15th February 2025

Full paper submission deadline: 31st May 2025

Notification of paper acceptance: 15th June 2025

Conference: September 29-30, 2025

Organisers

Institute for New Economic Thinking (INET) and its Young Scholars Initiative (YSI), Dept. of Political Science, Roma Tre, AUSE (University Association for European Studies), and AISPE (the Italian Association for the History of Economic Thought).

For any further information, please contact us; het@youngscholarsinitiative.org, sattwick@gmail.com, yakufl@gmail.com

Host at Dept. of Political Science, Roma Tre: Prof. Fabio Masini, and Albertina Nania (albertina.nania@uniroma3.it)