Making Sense of European Union Law

This book reflects on selected issues of European law in dialogue with leading legal scholar Bruno De Witte, whose work has enlightened generations of students, scholars and practitioners of European law. The volume is designed to mark the impressive academic oeuvre of a great legal mind and true academic whose elegant and insightful writings have decisively contributed to the advancement of the study of European law. The contributions attempt to 'make sense of European Union law' reflecting Bruno's mission as a legal scholar and commenting on some of the themes that he has worked on: constitutional Europe, differentiated Europe, social and educational Europe and minorities Europe. It culminates in reflections on the very nature of Bruno's scholarship and his academic persona. Not only is this book a public recognition and an expression of appreciation for all that Bruno has offered to the European legal community but also an invitation to challenge the way many scholars think of academic careers and their ways to success.

Monica Claes is Professor of European and Comparative Constitutional Law at the Law Faculty of Maastricht University, The Netherlands. Ellen Vos is Professor of European Union Law at the Law Faculty of Maastricht University, The Netherlands.

PART I CONSTITUTIONAL EUROPE 1. Questioning the EU's 'Principled Openness' to International Law: An Examination of the Court's Reception of the Aarhus Convention and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Gráinne de Búrca (New York University, UK), Claire Kilpatrick (European University Institute, Italy), and Joanne Scott (European University Institute, Italy) 2. Mixed Agreements and Constitutional Gaps Marise Cremona (European University Institute, Italy) 3. The European Union and National Constitutional Values Monica Claes (Maastricht University, the Netherlands) PART II DIFFERENTIATED EUROPE 4. Differentiation and Flexibility in EU Law Ellen Vos (Maastricht University, the Netherlands) 5. Recomposing the EU: Flying Together Beyond Turbulence Deirdre Curtin (European University Institute, Italy) PART III SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL EUROPE 6. On the 'Slow Constitutionalisation' of Social Europe Diamond Ashiagbor (University of Kent, UK) 7. The Emergence of a European Union Law of Education Hildegard Schneider (Maastricht University, the Netherlands) PART IV MINORITIES EUROPE 8. Protection of Minorities in EU Law Iyiola Solanke (University of Oxford, UK) 9. Minorities in the European Court of Human Rights (Or How the 'Sleeping Beauty' Was Awakened to their Cultural and Political Assertiveness) Dia Anagnostou (Panteion University of Social Sciences, Greece) 10. On Democracy, Courts and Minority Rights: Mobilising Supranational Courts against Authoritarian Regimes Dilek Kurban (European University Institute, Italy) PART V SCHOLARLY EUROPE 11. How to Introduce the EU Legal Order? Some Thoughts on Framework and Method Elise Muir (KU Leuven, Belgium) 12. Pragmatism and EU Law Niamh Nic Shuibhne (University of Edinburgh, UK) PART VI RETHINKING ACADEMIA: BRUNO DE WITTE 13. Rethinking Academia: Bruno De Witte Ruth Rubio Marín (University of Sevilla, Spain)