Systematically revised and rewritten throughout and updated to cover the impact of the Lisbon Treaty, this highly-successful and ground-breaking text remains unique in analyzing the EU as a political system using the methods of comparative political science.
Based on exhaustive research, this book explains how the European Union makes decisions in seven major policy sectors. Written in a clear, user-friendly style, it brings the EU alive for a student and non-specialist audience. The book's central themes are that informal norms often matter more than formal rules, agency often matters more than structure, and abrupt change often punctuates deadlock. It offers a theoretically-based introduction to the lively, humorous and fascinating politics of a unique experiment in modern governance.
The book delves into the multifaceted crisis facing the European Union, addressing issues such as Brexit, eurozone instability, and mass migration. It highlights the erosion of trust, shifting power dynamics, toxic politics, widespread disillusionment, and weakened solidarity among member states. Leading academics contribute insights to explore the implications of this crisis for the EU, its member nations, and the broader study of European integration, offering a comprehensive analysis of the current challenges and future prospects for the union.
This book examines the evolution of West Germany's successful governance model, originally analyzed by Peter Katzenstein in 1987. It explores whether the concept of 'semisovereignty' still applies post-unification and its effectiveness in addressing contemporary economic and social challenges, featuring insights from a team of international scholars.
Leading scholars explore the complex questions arising from the ongoing transformation of Europe through the deepening and widening effects of European integration. Based on authoritative analyses, the book takes account of the many national, transnational and international processes and contexts in which European integration has become embedded.