Book Description

International migration is one of the central dimensions of globalization. Facilitated by improved transportation and communications and stimulated by large economic and social inequalities in the world, people are increasingly moving across national borders in an effort to improve their own and their family’s well-being. The present publication examines the background and the nature of the increase in international migration and its wide-ranging impacts, and identifies the policy challenges posed by these developments. ... Read more

Book Description

The European Union is a "union" in name only. In reality, it is an anarchy because it has no governmental authority. As long as it remains unable to move realistically toward high politics, it will continue to be a community of only low politics.

The two key aspects of high politics - security and money - are analyzed in the European context, revealing the hollowness of the common foreign and security policy as well as the fragility of the EMU. Any leap into twenty-first century high politics for European society will require a completely new conceptualization of political union. In particular, Holm foresees a potential conflict arising from the role of the USA as the continuing guardian of the European peace and that of the dollar as the dominant international currency. The enlargement with twelve more countries makes it imperative to develop a political complement to the European project of economic integration.

Erik Holm closes with trailblazing suggestions to such an innovative polity, ushering in a European empire with a composite emperor, an empire that leaves the nation-state room to breathe. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Book Review: The European Anarchy
In his book, The European Anarchy, the Danish author Erik Holm addresses many salient issues facing the European Union (EU) and Eastern Europe to include, but not limited to, nationalism, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Security and Defense Identity (ESDI), EU enlargement, as well as state and supra-national institution (EU), high politics and low politics. Of note is his discourse on the "new" phenomenon of the intersection of economics and high politics, which, simplistically, is the politics involving state sovereignty, security, and survival. Furthermore, he imparts a general "European" view of America and Americans and the manner in which Europeans think Americans perceive themselves, that is truly unique and hard to find in current international relations literature. Finally, he concludes that the EU is a supra-national institution that needs an "emperor" but is lacking one. In all, Holm's work is truly fascinating but somewhat tedious to read as some of the chapters a more lengthy than truly needed and do not tie well with others, as well as contain some dangling "cliff-hangers."

First, Holm's work on the intersection of high politics and economics at both the state and EU levels is truly remarkable. His experiences on both the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Staff and Danish Prime Minister's Staff as an economist truly come to the fore, allowing him to write as both a practitioner and an academic. Furthermore, his assertion that economics is the driving force in the Europe of the 21st Century at both the EU and state levels is cogently made as he demonstrates that state survival and EU survival his inextricably wedded to economic and monetary policy at both levels. Furthermore, he demonstrates that this economic "wedding" plays a role not only within intra-EU relations but as well with the trans-Atlantic relationship with America and the rest of the world.

Next, Holm's work on EU enlargement is novel. His assertion that aspirant members are looking through a "glass wall," is dead on target, even if they are admitted. By this, he means that because of economics, the EU has stalled membership application and processes to poorer, generally eastern European states, because the current EU members do not want to share the economic burden of their admittance. Furthermore, if they are admitted, the EU will most likely adopt rules and procedures that benefit the "modern" original members and not fully account for new "poorer" members. Thus, any way the aspirant members turn they will, whether admitted or not, continually be looking through a "glass wall" that they cannot fully penetrate.

Third, Holm's discourse on America and American nationalism in Chapter 6 is truly unique and controversial. He goes to great lengths to point out that American politics and perceptions, although of similar origins to European, are distinct and separate. He asserts that God and religion play a much larger factor in the American psyche, and thus in American foreign relations, than they do in the European model. Furthermore, because America was originally a frontier state carved out of the wilderness by intrepid pioneers, that American's by nature are more independent and resolved than Europeans. Thus, when god, religion, and the pioneer origins are combined, Americans believe that it is their given right to make the world better in their image or along their own ideological constructs/ guidelines. As Holms asserts on page 200, "the United States is a idea-state, based on a secular ideology that has universal validity."

However, the bigger controversy in this chapter is his discourse on American elites. Holm states on page 204, that "although American culture claims to be egalitarian it does have an elite." On the same page, he goes on to point out that, the role of politician is "to bridge the gap between the people and the elite." However, he asserts that in America's case this gap can become so wide that it can result in "schizophrenic" policies. While this may be the case, and Holm's limited definition of American elites being of either the liberal or realist school is good, he does not do a good job of clarifying all the elite actors within American politics. In particular, the political elites themselves who must consider their constituency and the impact this has on American decision-making. Furthermore, by this omission he leads one to believe that American elites are more influenced by things that national elites the "world over" are themselves influenced by. Finally, it leads one to wonder if Holm does not think that American policy and decision-making is driven solely by special interest, which is true to a very limited extent, but nowhere near the extent, Holm seems to infer.

Finally, Holm's chapters on nationalism and European history are truly fascinating and in tune with the current literature on these topics, however, they are long-winded and not as prominent in the book to warrant such lengthy discourse. For example, while nationalism is a recurring theme throughout the book, Holm would have been better served just defining it instead of spending an entire chapter deriving its definition through all of its major academic origins. Furthermore, it was unnecessary for him to trace the nation-state and Europe from the Middle Ages to present, as it really had little bearing on his thesis.

In short, Holm's work is well researched and written despite being long-winded and somewhat controversial. For those interested in the origins of the nation-state and nationalism, it is a good synopsis. For those who wish to gain insight into the role of economics in "high-politics," it is equally good. The only major problem is grinding through it all to get to the conclusion that the EU has many problems that are not easily solved or are possibly insurmountable given the 21st Century's new complexities and the preceding centuries "emotional baggage."

A Fresh View of Europe's Future
Erik Holm argues that Europe faces an uncertain future unless it can develop a political structure that respects its complex underlying cultural, economic and political characteristics. In a short monograph he provides a very useful overview of the development of the European state system, with special attention to the development of security and economic issues. The specific nature of these historic processes make much of the rhetoric about European unification inappropriate, in his view, and point the way to the emergence of an alternative form of regional organization. While his argument in favor of a European "empire" may strike readers as jarring, he makes a case that deserves careful consideration.
Written in a lively and engaging style, this is an excellent introductory book for the general reader or advanced undergraduate class concerned with contemporary European economics and politics. Whether or not one accepts his conclusion, Holm offers a refreshing portrait of Europe today that is both revealing and provocative. At a time when a new constitution for Europe is under active discussion, this is a participarly relevant. Let's hope that it will be reprinted n a less expensive paperback edition before long and that some of the very minor copyediting errors will be caught in the process. ... Read more