After the French and Dutch electorates decisively rejected the EU Constitution at the polls in 2005, the Irish delivered a resounding ‘Third No’ in June 2008, triggering a political earthquake in the capitals of Europe. Forcing the Irish to vote again in 2009 having given the ‘wrong’ answer reveals divergent visions of Europe’s future.

In this defining moment Another Europe? comes as a timely stimulus to debate about the future of the EU. Just as The Federalist papers of 1788 lent the stage to Publius at an equally pivotal time in the history of the United States of America, so his sister ‘Publia’, with her friend ‘Lydia’, jointly address the peoples of Europe on the future of their Continent. Their inspired exchanges contain the ideas of over seventy distinguished thinkers and political actors across the European Union. They expose two logically consistent if irreconcilable routes towards a democratically legitimate Europe.

Authoritative and highly readable, Another Europe? aims to bridge academic and popular discourse and open up all the key issues, from law to environment, identity, citizenship, finance and foreign policy. It is essential for anyone who wishes to engage in Ireland’s – and Europe’s – great debate.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

GWYN PRINS is director of the Mackinder Programme at the London School of Economics.

JOHANNA MÖHRING is Visiting Fellow at the Mackinder Programme at the London School of Economics.