Europeanization and European Integration : From Incremental to Structural Change

The scope and extent of Europeanization among the member states of the European Union is all too often exaggerated by scholars of European integration. It has long been assumed that the mere existence of mechanisms designed to promote commonality between countries in the EU and to encourage a collective European identity has given credence to the idea of Europeanization and how effectively it has infiltrated EU member states. In stark contrast to the assumed success of these mechanisms in promoting Europeanization, recent studies have shown that, in the main, both domestic socio-economic as well as normative structures have proved resilient to this process. Through a compelling exploration of the relationship between European integration and Europeanization, this collection provides important insights into the disconnect between efforts to promote commonality and collective European identity and the ambivalent results of Europeanization at the socio-economic and normative structures of member states.