Ultrasociality & the Idea of European Federalism

Abstract

Speaker: Mai’a K. Davis Cross Discussant: Ana Juncos Mai’a K. Davis Cross will present her book manuscript with the working title, International Cooperation in the Ultrasocial World (under contract, Oxford University Press). The book aims to recast how we understand international relations through an examination of how the human evolutionary predisposition to be “ultrasocial” as a species impacts which political ideas succeed, transform, manipulate, and inspire on a global scale. At a time when pessimism about our current world order is at an all-time high, this book overturns widespread assumptions that international relations is mainly about conflict, power, and national self-interest. In the last 10-20 years, scientists have discovered that as a species, we are biologically hard-wired, soft-wired, and pre-wired to be other-regarding and cooperative. Humans are an ultrasocial species, and yet political leaders, experts, and the media have cultivated a myopic vision of global conflict, feeding an obsession on crises of the moment, rather than recognizing frequent and significant breakthroughs in peaceful cooperation and overall trends in the decline of violence. This book project shows how time and time again our ultrasocial predisposition has pushed us towards big ideas that inspire and bring us together around the power of possibility. Professor Cross’s presentation will discuss the European federalist idea as a case study in ultrasociality. Drawing upon new archival research this case draws attention to the societal-level momentum for federalism and the creation of a “United States of Europe.” The analysis starts with the 1940s and 50s, proceeds through the pessimism of the 1970s and 80s, the optimism of the 90s and early 2000s, and continues up through to today, arguing that an “ultrasocial” impulse” in favor of federalism helped to shape the evolution of integration.