European Union and the deconstruction of the Rhineland frontier
By: Michael Loriaux.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 2008
Place of publication: Cambridge, Mass
Language: eng
Number of pages: 337
ISBN-13: 9780521880848; 9780521707077
Subjects: European Union -- Boundaries; Social integration -- European Union countries; Geopolitics -- European Union countries; European Union countries -- Economic integration; European Union countries -- Relations; European Economic Community countries
Description: "The Rhineland region includes the core regional economy of western Europe, encompassing Belgium, Luxemburg and parts of the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, and Germany. Throughout history there have been tensions between this region's roles as a frontier and as western Europe's economic core. Michael Loriaux argues that the European Union arose from efforts to deconstruct this frontier. He traces Rhineland geopolitics back to its first emergence, restoring frontier deconstruction to the forefront of discussion about the EU. He recounts how place names were manipulated to legitimate political power and show this manipulation generated the geopolitics back to its first emergence, restoring frontier deconstruction to the forefront of discussion about the EU. He recounts how place names were manipulated to legitimate political power and shows how this manipulation generated the geopolitics that the EU now tries to undo. Loriaux also argues that the importance of this issue has significantly affected the nature of the EU's development and helps condition a festering legitimation crisis."--Jacket.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.