Skip to main content

Finding Allies: The Intergroup as Bridging Social Capital

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
  • 323 Accesses

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in European Political Sociology ((PSEPS))

Abstract

This chapter argues for a conceptualisation of Intergroups as bridging social capital, i.e., as outward-looking, heterogeneous social groupings that resemble professional ties of acquaintance. It examines the membership in and composition of Intergroups, looks at the durability and regularity with which social interactions are practiced by Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in Intergroups and discusses the notion of trust as an important component of social capital.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD   99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • Bale, T., & Taggart, P. (2006). First-Timers Yes, Virgins No: The Roles and Backgrounds of New Members of the European Parliament (SEI Working Paper No. 89), 1–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bourdieu, P. (1986). The Forms of Capital. In J. G. Richardson (Ed.), Handbook of Theory and Research for the Sociology of Education (pp. 1–16). London: Greenwood Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowler, S., & Farrell, D. M. (1995). The Organizing of the European Parliament: Committees, Specialization and Co-ordination. British Journal of Political Science, 25(02), 219–243.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burns, C. J. (2013). The European Parliament. In M. Cini & N. Perez-Solorzano Borragan (Eds.), European Union Politics (4th ed., pp. 159–171). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Busby, A. (2013). The Everyday Practice and Performance of European Politics: An Ethnography of the European Parliament (PhD thesis). University of Sussex, Sussex.

    Google Scholar 

  • Caldeira, G. A., & Patterson, S. C. (1987). Political Friendship in the Legislature. The Journal of Politics, 49(04), 953–975.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carpenter, D. P., Esterling, K. M., & Lazer, D. M. J. (1998). The Strength of Weak Ties in Lobbying Networks: Evidence from Health-Care Politics in the United States. Journal of Theoretical Politics, 10(4), 417–444.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Corbett, R., Jacobs, F., & Neville, D. (2016). The European Parliament (9th ed.). London: John Harper Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Corbett, R., Jacobs, F., & Shackleton, M. (2011). The European Parliament (8th ed.). London: John Harper Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (8 January 2016). Agriculture and Rural Development: Wine. Retrieved 18 March 2016, from http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/wine/.

  • European Parliament. (2002). Activities: 12/A-2002—Bulletin. Brussels: European Parliament: Directorate for the Planning of Parliamentary Business.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Parliament. (2003). Activities: 03/A-2003—Bulletin. Brussels: European Parliament: Directorate for the Planning of Parliamentary Business.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Parliament. (2005). Activities: 08/A-2005—Bulletin. Brussels: European Parliament: Directorate for the Planning of Parliamentary Business.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Parliament. (2009). Rules of Procedure: 7th Parliamentary Term December 2009.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Parliament. (2013a). About Parliament: Organisation and Work—Intergroups. Retrieved 24 January 2013, from http://www.europarl.europa.eu/aboutparliament/en/00c9d93c87/Intergroups.html.

  • European Parliament. (2013b). MEPs: Struan Stevenson. Retrieved 13 December 2013, from http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/4546/STRUAN_STEVENSON_home.html.

  • European Parliament. (2013c). MEPs: Thomas Mann. Retrieved 20 December 2013, from http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/1922/THOMAS_MANN_home.html.

  • European Parliament. (2014a). About Parliament: Organisation and Work—Intergroups. Retrieved 19 May 2014, from http://www.europarl.europa.eu/aboutparliament/en/00c9d93c87/Intergroups.html.

  • European Parliament. (2014b). MEPs: Evelyn Regner. Retrieved 24 November 2014, from http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/de/96998/EVELYN_REGNER_cv.html.

  • European Parliament. (2014c). MEPs: Georges Bach. Retrieved 24 November 2014, from http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/97293/GEORGES_BACH_history.html.

  • European Parliament. (2015). MEPs: Browse Map. Retrieved 12 November 2015, from http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/map.html.

  • Fiellin, A. (1962). The Functions of Informal Groups in Legislative Institutions. The Journal of Politics, 24(1), 72–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Granovetter, M. S. (1973). The Strengths of Weak Ties. American Journal of Sociology, 78(6), 1360–1380.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haas, P. M. (1992). Introduction: Epistemic Communities and International Policy Coordination. International Organization, 46(1), 1–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Intergroup on the Welfare & Conservation of Animals. (2013). Rules of Procedure. Retrieved 31 May 2014, from http://www.animalwelfareintergroup.eu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Rules-of-procedure-final-11-01-2013.pdf.

  • Intergroup on the Welfare & Conservation of Animals. (2014). Intergroup Attendance September 2009–March 2014. Retrieved 01 August 2014, from http://www.animalwelfareintergroup.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/3-Intergroup-attendance-September-2009-March-2014.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kauppi, N. (2011). EU Politics. In A. Favell & V. Guiraudon (Eds.), Sociology of the European Union (pp. 150–171). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Kohler-Koch, B., & Quittkat, C. (2009). What is civil society and who represents civil society in the EU?—Results of an online survey among civil society experts. Policy and Society, 28(1), 11–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Landorff, L. (Accepted/In press). Intergroups as alternative venues in the European Parliament: Lessons for civil society. In U. Liebert & A. Jenichen (Eds.), Europeanisation and Renationalisation: Learning from Crises for Innovation and Development. Leverkusen: Barbara Budrich Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Michon, S. (2008). Assistant parlementaire au Parlement européen: un tremplin pour une carrière européenne. Sociologie du Travail, 50(2), 169–183.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neuhold, C. (2001). The ‘Legislative Backbone’ Keeping the Institution Upright? The Role of European Parliament Committees in the EU Policy-Making Process. European Integration Online Papers (EioP), 5(10), 1–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Putnam, R. D. (2000). Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. New York: Simon & Schuster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ringe, N., Victor, J. N., & Carman, C. J. (2013). Bridging the Information Gap: Legislative Member Organizations as Social Networks in the United States and the European Union. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Sabatier, P. A. (1988). An Advocacy Coalition Framework of Policy Change and the Role of Policy-Oriented Learning Therein. Policy Sciences, 21(2/3), 129–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scarrow, S. E. (1997). Political Career Paths and the European Parliament. Legislative Studies Quarterly, 22(2), 253–263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wodak, R. (2009). The Discourse of Politics in Action: Politics as Usual. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yordanova, N. (2009). The Rationale Behind Committee Assignment in the European Parliament: Distributive, Informational and Partisan Perspectives. European Union Politics, 10(2), 253–280.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Laura Landorff .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Landorff, L. (2019). Finding Allies: The Intergroup as Bridging Social Capital. In: Inside European Parliament Politics. Palgrave Studies in European Political Sociology. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04206-6_5

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics