Ben Judah’s This is Europe brings into view the everyday lives lived in Europe today, often marked by inequalities, exclusion and alienation. It therefore forms a useful starting point from which to reflect on the emerging ‘European society’ discourse in the EU legal discipline. Presenting EU law as being grounded in a society founded on shared values, EU institutions and scholars legitimise far-reaching legal and political innovations, but do not account for the plurality of values and lived experiences on the ground. By taking these as a starting point, This is Europe offers a means to think about the role of EU law and legal scholarship unaffected by an institutional gaze.
