Nostalgic Empires

Nostalgic Empires traces the trajectory of European integration, starting from the decline of Western European empires to the present day. This comprehensive analysis encompasses various conflicts that have emerged in the past decade, including economic crises, Brexit, the pandemic, and responses to the war in Ukraine.

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The present state of European integration finds its roots in the decolonization processes and the dissolution of empires in the past. Building upon this fundamental idea, this work presents a narrative that explores the Western European states’ struggle for national survival within the framework of European supranational structures. Hèctor López Bofill argues that the European Union, with its intricate legal framework, serves as a means to ensure national cohesion and social stability within its member states. Bofill identifies several sources of domination stemming from the combined actions of nation-states and European institutions, including the marginalization of internal minorities, the consolidation of economic oligarchies, and the exploitation of immigrants from former colonies.However , the sequence of economic and political crises, particularly since the 2008 crash, poses a threat to the continuity of this delicate balance of power between the member states’ aspirations to strengthen themselves as independent nations and the supranational level’s pursuit of stability. Nostalgic Empires: The Crisis of the European Union Related to Its Original Sins provides a fascinating and detailed description of the conflicts that permeate Europe within the context of its existential struggle vis-à-vis global superpowers. Finally, it offers an interpretation of the weaknesses within the European project that may signal a potential transformation of the political order in the Western world.