What Chimpanzees Can Teach the EU: Or Why the EU Should Embrace Sovereignty as Part of Human Nature
(Series Information) European Papers - A Journal on Law and Integration, 2021 6(3), 1229-1254 | European Forum Insight of 17 December 2021 | (Table of Contents) I. Introduction: overcoming sovereignty? - II. Method, limitations and structure. - III. Chimpanzee hierarchy and proto-sovereignty. - III....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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European Papers (www.europeanpapers.eu)
2021-12-01
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| Series: | European Papers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.europeanpapers.eu/en/europeanforum/what-chimpanzees-can-teach-eu-or-why-eu-should-embrace-sovereignty |
| _version_ | 1819174852535255040 |
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| author | Armin Cuyvers |
| author_facet | Armin Cuyvers |
| author_sort | Armin Cuyvers |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | (Series Information) European Papers - A Journal on Law and Integration, 2021 6(3), 1229-1254 | European Forum Insight of 17 December 2021 | (Table of Contents) I. Introduction: overcoming sovereignty? - II. Method, limitations and structure. - III. Chimpanzee hierarchy and proto-sovereignty. - III.1. The social and political life of chimpanzees. - III.2. Social power versus formal rank. - III.3. Sovereignty as a stabiliser and shock-absorber of fluctuating real power. - IV. Abstracting the alpha: how the king got two bodies. - IV.1. Inventing "the King's two bodies". - IV.2. Where abstractions rule: abstract, absent and absolute sovereigns. - IV.3. Why the EU should not threaten but support a stable formal hierarchy. - V. Supporting formal hierarchy and embracing national sovereigns through EU law. | (Abstract) This Insight makes four key claims. First, evolutionary biology and the study of chimpanzees show that social animals have an emotional need for a stable, formal hierarchy. Second, sovereignty might be understood as a highly evolved and abstract solution to fill this basic need. Third, global interdependence and European integration challenge the existing formal hierarchy and sovereignty constructs within Member States. The EU therefore disrupts the existing formal hierarchy without providing a viable formal hierarchy in return. This reopens primal questions about hierarchy, identity and social stability. Fourth, instead of fighting sovereignty, the EU should therefore accept the underlying basic need for formal hierarchy as part of the human condition. Like every constitutional construct before it, the EU cannot go against the grain of human nature, and must therefore learn to accept, protect, and perhaps even celebrate some forms of formal hierarchy, including sovereignty, as well as the human emotions that come with it. Luckily, an evolutionary understanding of formal hierarchy and sovereignty also allows us to reconcile sovereignty with European integration. European law also offers sufficient footholds to embrace such an evolutionary concept of sovereignty. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T20:45:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6c4d4a05726948bfa215c42549da93c3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2499-8249 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T20:45:33Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | European Papers (www.europeanpapers.eu) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Papers |
| spelling | doaj.art-6c4d4a05726948bfa215c42549da93c32022-12-21T18:13:14ZengEuropean Papers (www.europeanpapers.eu)European Papers2499-82492021-12-012021 631229125410.15166/2499-8249/521What Chimpanzees Can Teach the EU: Or Why the EU Should Embrace Sovereignty as Part of Human NatureArmin Cuyvers0Europa Instituut Leiden(Series Information) European Papers - A Journal on Law and Integration, 2021 6(3), 1229-1254 | European Forum Insight of 17 December 2021 | (Table of Contents) I. Introduction: overcoming sovereignty? - II. Method, limitations and structure. - III. Chimpanzee hierarchy and proto-sovereignty. - III.1. The social and political life of chimpanzees. - III.2. Social power versus formal rank. - III.3. Sovereignty as a stabiliser and shock-absorber of fluctuating real power. - IV. Abstracting the alpha: how the king got two bodies. - IV.1. Inventing "the King's two bodies". - IV.2. Where abstractions rule: abstract, absent and absolute sovereigns. - IV.3. Why the EU should not threaten but support a stable formal hierarchy. - V. Supporting formal hierarchy and embracing national sovereigns through EU law. | (Abstract) This Insight makes four key claims. First, evolutionary biology and the study of chimpanzees show that social animals have an emotional need for a stable, formal hierarchy. Second, sovereignty might be understood as a highly evolved and abstract solution to fill this basic need. Third, global interdependence and European integration challenge the existing formal hierarchy and sovereignty constructs within Member States. The EU therefore disrupts the existing formal hierarchy without providing a viable formal hierarchy in return. This reopens primal questions about hierarchy, identity and social stability. Fourth, instead of fighting sovereignty, the EU should therefore accept the underlying basic need for formal hierarchy as part of the human condition. Like every constitutional construct before it, the EU cannot go against the grain of human nature, and must therefore learn to accept, protect, and perhaps even celebrate some forms of formal hierarchy, including sovereignty, as well as the human emotions that come with it. Luckily, an evolutionary understanding of formal hierarchy and sovereignty also allows us to reconcile sovereignty with European integration. European law also offers sufficient footholds to embrace such an evolutionary concept of sovereignty.https://www.europeanpapers.eu/en/europeanforum/what-chimpanzees-can-teach-eu-or-why-eu-should-embrace-sovereigntysovereigntyeubrexitevolutionchimpanzeesformal hierarchy |
| spellingShingle | Armin Cuyvers What Chimpanzees Can Teach the EU: Or Why the EU Should Embrace Sovereignty as Part of Human Nature European Papers sovereignty eu brexit evolution chimpanzees formal hierarchy |
| title | What Chimpanzees Can Teach the EU: Or Why the EU Should Embrace Sovereignty as Part of Human Nature |
| title_full | What Chimpanzees Can Teach the EU: Or Why the EU Should Embrace Sovereignty as Part of Human Nature |
| title_fullStr | What Chimpanzees Can Teach the EU: Or Why the EU Should Embrace Sovereignty as Part of Human Nature |
| title_full_unstemmed | What Chimpanzees Can Teach the EU: Or Why the EU Should Embrace Sovereignty as Part of Human Nature |
| title_short | What Chimpanzees Can Teach the EU: Or Why the EU Should Embrace Sovereignty as Part of Human Nature |
| title_sort | what chimpanzees can teach the eu or why the eu should embrace sovereignty as part of human nature |
| topic | sovereignty eu brexit evolution chimpanzees formal hierarchy |
| url | https://www.europeanpapers.eu/en/europeanforum/what-chimpanzees-can-teach-eu-or-why-eu-should-embrace-sovereignty |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT armincuyvers whatchimpanzeescanteachtheeuorwhytheeushouldembracesovereigntyaspartofhumannature |