Integration Theory

In the early days of European integration ‘integration theory’ was equivalent to political science theorizing on the European Community and neofunctionalism was the theory of European integration. Since then, theorizing has strongly diversified. On the one hand, neofunctionalism has been rivalled by intergovernmentalist theories of European integration since the 1960s. On the other hand, and more importantly, theories of European integration have been complemented by theories of European politics and policies. The theoretical division of labour is now between theories of European integration as theories of institutional change and theories of European governance as theories of politics, decision-making and policy-making within a given institutional framework.