Discussing Pax Germanica: The Rise and Limits of German Hegemony in European Integration

We are pleased to invite you to an online conversation with the editors and contributing authors of Discussing Pax Germanica: The Rise and Limits of German Hegemony in European Integration, a recently published volume unraveling the fundamental role that Germany and its political tradition have played in constructing the peace and prosperity system that constitutes the European Union. About the book: Discussing Pax Germanica: The Rise and Limits of German Hegemony in European Integration (edited by Emmanuel Comte and Fernando Guirao, Routledge, 2024) delves into the unique development that has shaped contemporary Europe – the ascendancy of Germany from complete military defeat in 1945 to its unassailable position as the lynchpin of European integration. In Europe today, no crisis of significance can arise without the trajectory of its resolution inevitably converging towards Germany. As Europe navigates the ebbs and flows of its complex affairs, Germany’s gravitational pull emerges as an unwavering constant. The narrative in the present volume finds its common thread in Germany’s strategic endeavours to bolster the growth of the European Union over the past 75 years, amassing substantial rewards along the way. Participating authors: Emmanuel Comte is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie–ONISILOS fellow at the University of Cyprus and a professorial lecturer at the Vienna School of International Studies. He is the author of The History of the European Migration Regime (Routledge, 2018). Caroline De Gruyter is Europe correspondent/columnist for the Dutch newspaper NRC. Currently based in Brussels, she is also a columnist for Foreign Policy and a member of the European Council on Foreign Relations. Her voice and expertise are well-known. Her latest book is a best-selling comparison between the Habsburg Empire and the European Union. Fernando Guirao is Jean Monnet Professor of History (ad personam chair) and Economic History Professor at Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, deputy director of the Barcelona Center for European Studies, member of the EU Liaison Committee of Historians and of the editorial board of the Journal of European Integration History. His last book, The European Rescue of the Franco Regime, 1950–1975 (Oxford University Press, 2021) has merited the 2021 Joan Sardà prize. Herman Van Rompuy was the prime minister of Belgium from 2008 to 2009 and the first permanent president of the European Council from 2009 to 2014. He played a crucial role in navigating the complex relationship between EU member states during critical financial and political crises, including negotiating compromises between France and Germany. His leadership was instrumental in establishing the European Financial Stability Mechanism, highlighting his deep understanding of the EU’s dynamics, particularly the critical Franco-German axis. Chair: Dr Hugo Bromley is a historian of manufacturing, geopolitics, and international trade. As the the Engelsberg Applied History Research Fellow, Dr Bromley acts as an assistant director for the Centre for Geopolitics, coordinates the Centre’s work on economic statecraft and applied history and leads the UK Union Programme.