Subterranean Politics in Europe

Abstract

We are experiencing one of those rare moments in history when subterranean politics 'bubbles up' to the surface. The demonstrations, occupations and new political initiatives that emerged across Europe in 2011 and 2012 struck a chord in public opinion in a way that has not been true of the protests and social movements arising over the last decade. This has caused ripples of discomfort in established institutions, challenging dominant ways of thinking and unsettling normal assumptions about how politics is done. Based on a multi-disciplinary, collaborative research project carried out across Europe, and from the team responsible for the landmark Global Civil Society yearbooks, this volume investigates why this is occurring now, whether the current eruptions are different to previous periods of political upheaval, and what they tell us about the future of the European project.