Differentiated Integration at the EU Member State Level : An Empirical Comparison of European Integration Theories (Studies on the European Union)

This book breaks new ground by providing a large-N approach to describing and explaining the phenomenon of differentiated integration at the level of EU countries. It deduces hypotheses from the major European integration theories intergovernmentalism, supranationalism, and constructivism and subjects them to systematic hypothesis testing based on the new EUDIFF datasets and panel data analyses. In addition, it examines the logical relationship between the three theories as well as their relative explanatory power and empirical corroboration. For this purpose, it carries out an empirical comparison of the theories and their respective assumptions, hypotheses, indicators, and empirical models.Dr. Thomas Duttle works as a researcher and coordinator at the Department of Politics and Public Administration at the University of Konstanz. His research interests include the political system of the EU, European integration, and the comparative analysis of public policies across EU countries.