Concerns for national sovereignty have been a mainstay of European integration. These concerns were at the margins for much of the history of European integration ("permissive consensus"), until increasing resistance to deeper integration at the turn of the century ("constraining dissensus"), which has rapidly and recently morphed into open contestation of Europe by citizens and elites of various stripes (Euro-scepticism). The power of this Euro-scepticism has become manifest in recent times as British citizens elected to "reclaim national sovereignty" in the most dramatic possible fashion: by giving their government a mandate to withdraw from the EU.

Secession of a state from the EU calls into question the sustainability and legitimacy of all other European boundaries, many of which are already under stress from the fallout of the Euro crisis, increasing terrorism and the refugee crisis. Ten papers presented throughout this workshop will answer the following questions in the context of rising nationalism in Europe.

What is the nature of European boundaries and have they been getting thicker or thinner over time? What are the consequences of "Brexit" for EU boundaries? Can secession from the EU be more or less legitimate? What is a sustainable and legitimate accession strategy for the EU? Is more radical forms of differentiated integration becoming a necessity for Europe? Can free movement in its current form be sustained? Is improved coordination on border control and security a necessary response to terrorism and the refugee crisis?

Please see the programme here

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