The Setting: The Greco-German Affair on the Euro Stage

Abstract

This opening chapter introduces the object of the book’s empirical enquiry, referred to somewhat playfully as ‘the Greco-German affair’ during the Greek debt crisis. The authors discuss their methodology and the relevant literature and explain the import of the concept of mutual recognition for their study. Even after the devastating impact of the Euro crisis, they argue, the EU’s transnational set-up remains distinctive in its tentative move towards a demoicracy, which entails an ongoing experimentation with the promise and limits of mutual recognition, and with the challenge of building binding trust among the European peoples.