»Differenz« ist eine noch häufig vernachlässigte Dimension sozialer Interaktion, die jedoch als Forschungsfeld an Bedeutung gewinnt. Der Band untersucht das positive Potenzial von Differenz - der Ideen, Interessen oder Institutionen - und zeigt, unter welchen Bedingungen sie einen Gewinn für effektives und legitimes Handeln in demokratischen Systemen darstellt. Die Beiträger sind Politikwissenschaftler, Soziologen, Kommunikationswissenschaftler, Rechtswissenschaftler und Kunsthistoriker.

Contents
Introduction
Kolja Raube and Annika Sattler................................................................................9
1. Analytical Model
The Concept of Difference
Christine Landfried...................................................................................................15
2. Difference and Democracy
The Future of Democracy
Manfred G. Schmidt.................................................................................................49
Comment: An Alternative View on Democratic Governance
Beyond the Nation-State
Jonathan P. Aus.......................................................................................67
Comment: Difference and Democracy from the
Constitutional Law Perspective
Alexander von Brünneck ............................................................................77
Comment: The Sustainability of Democracy-
An Examination on the Basis of Leading Differences
Tine Stein ...............................................................................................83
3. Difference and Europe
Towards a Reflexive External Governance of the European Union
Kolja Raube...........................................................................................101
Comment: The Concept of Difference and its Potential for
Research in Political Science
Ingrid Schneider ......................................................................................127
Comment: Small States and Differences in the European Union-
Putting Forward or Paralyzing the Integration?
Meinhard Hilf........................................................................................141
Comment: Reflections on the Concept of a Reflexive
European Union External Governance
Chiara Formenti-Ujlaki...........................................................................147
4. Difference and Globalization
Thinking Islamic Difference in Pluralistic Democracies
Nilüfer Göle ..........................................................................................159
Comment: The New Cosmopolitanism. The (Right) Way
to Cope with Difference in a Globalizing Society
Edgar Grande........................................................................................183
Comment: The Troubles with Standardization of
Cultural Differences
Rainer Tetzlaff .......................................................................................197
Comment: Different Potentials of Difference in the Balkans-
A Paradigmatic Analysis
Fran Kauzlaric.......................................................................................211
5. Difference and Law
Managing Difference: Constitutional Pluralism and
Transnational Rights Protection
Alec Stone Sweet.....................................................................................227
Comment: Contesting the Management of Difference-
Transnational Human Rights, Religion and the European
Court of Human Rights' Lautsi Decision
Mattias Kumm.......................................................................................245
Comment: Global Constitutionalism and
the Concept of Difference
Antje Wiener .........................................................................................261
Comment: Law, Difference and Transnational Norm Building
Under a Shared Watercourse Treaty-The International Court
of Justice and Environmental Impact Statements
Jennifer McKay.......................................................................................277
6. Difference and Public Sphere
Difference as Basic Component of Mediated Communication
in (European) Public Spheres
Irene Neverla .........................................................................................291
Comment: Public Spheres in Europe
Hartmut Kaelble.....................................................................................307
Comment: Difference as Structural Characteristic
and Catalyst of European Public Spheres
Annika Sattler..................................