Beyond the Westphalian rainbow: a dissident theory of supranational systems

Abstract

Beyond the Westphalian rainbow: a dissident theory of supranational systems. Territory, Politics, Governance. This article focuses on the work of Adam Watson from the English School of International Relations for two purposes. The first is to highlight the potential it contains for transcending the prejudices imposed upon international relations theory by the anarchy assumption and by the reification of independent statehood. The second and the more specific purpose is to understand the formation of legitimate supranational systems once these prejudices are removed. Watson approaches supranationalism as an extant condition in international society rather than as a deviation from a normal condition of anarchy or independent statehood, and proposes a culturalist and a moralistic framework in which supranational systems can be legitimized. As a case study to determine which framework is more valid, I analysed the convention on the future of Europe and concluded that the moralistic serves better for understanding how the European Union is legitimized. Once juxtaposed with Neo-Weberian historical sociology's insights into the state, Watson's moralistic framework can offer a foundational theory for reconsidering legitimate supranational systems and open up new research agendas in international relations theory.