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Where do we go? Social science approaches to understanding the European Union Symposium at Klagenfurt University, Austria 29.9. - 30.9.2006 Objectives/Mission of the Symposium No sooner did the Soviet block implode in the late eighties of the 20th century than a new supranational political structure began to emerge in Europe - the European Union (EU). Based on more than forty years of mainly economic cooperation in the framework of the European Economic Community (EEC) and to a lesser extent in the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) new treaties (Maastricht, Amsterdam) were hammered out to level the road to a European Union. In the meantime this structure is more or less in place and has taken over most of the policy issues of its Member States. At the same time it has left its subjects as well as observers puzzled about its very identity. The broader European public is only slowly becoming aware of the severe consequences of this new political reality. However, more awareness seems to lead rather to more confusion than to a better understanding. In the middle of the first decade of the 21st century it doesn’t appear to be an exaggeration to claim that the future of this Grande Project is more uncertain than ever and increasingly contested. One of the major uncertainties derives from a lack of insight into the long term consequences of the supra national structures and policies emerging more or less unreflected by the national electorate and decision makers. Of course, this does not mean that there is no scientific monitoring of the process. Not at all, there seems to be no lack of research on the EU. A lively interdisciplinary scientific field called “European Union Studies” has emerged in the last decade. However, the results of this research rarely add up to gain a broader picture of the historical character and direction of the EU. Besides that “integration” is often taken as granted. Here it is worth to remember the fate of the Soviet Union. Despite establishments like “Soviet Studies” the death of the system came as a surprise. This should tell us something about the need to keep in mind and/or to refine theoretical approaches with a macro-societal perspective. It is the main objective of the symposium to investigate and discuss how different social science paradigms provide instruments to better understand the character of the European Union as such (macro perspective) and thus the direction of its possible evolution. So far this task has mainly been taken on by representatives of globalization theory (Albrow), network theory (Castells) and ideological visionaries (Rifkin). These approaches have in common that they basically all point the EU in the same direction. Although the symposium will discuss these conventional approaches as well, we particularly invite scholars who draw their ideas about the EU from other paradigms (e.g. post-structuralists, post-Marxists). Whereas the main objective is to fathom out the capacity of different social theories for understanding the EU, to present speculative ad hoc scenarios and empirical research about the future of the EU will also be possible, not least in order to stimulate the theoretical discussions. Deadline for abstracts: 31.5.2006. Abstracts to be submitted to [log in to unmask] Symposium fees: Participants: € 100.- Registered Speakers: no fee Accommodation and other inquiries may be directed to [log in to unmask]