Politics beyond the state: Europe as civilization and as empire

The project of European political integration led by the European Union (EU) has provoked much speculation about what kind of political entity the EU will turn out to be. Recent scholarship has suggested that the EU can be seen as a form of empire and compared to earlier imperial formations.

This review evaluates one such recent claim by Jan Zielonka that the EU resembles a ‘neo-medieval empire’. In addition, two works which frame world politics in terms of civilizations are considered. It is argued that the concepts of civilization and empire are compatible and applicable to studying the EU.

Although the concept of empire captures the strategic implications of European integration, the analysis of civilizations adds a cultural dimension and highlights the interconnectedness of Europe with its neighbours. Both concepts, as mobilized by the authors reviewed here, emphasize the radical pluralism and polycentric character of contemporary politics beyond the state.