Abstract
Differentiation has been a feature of European integration for more
than two decades. Nowadays, more than half of European Union (EU) policies are
now implemented in different ways. Recent debates over a potential British exit from
the EU revived discussions on the future of European integration, offering a potential
case for disintegration. Yet scholars and practitioners still find it difficult to define
the notion. The introduction to this collection offers a survey of the literature on differentiated
integration, its most recent developments and justifies why the study of
differentiation needs to move up the research agenda of European integration. It
suggests that studying differentiated integration as a concept, a process, a system
and a theory is the minimum needed to understand it. Finally, it demonstrates
the necessity to study differentiation as a permanent and ‘normal’ feature of European
integration.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 754-763 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Journal of European Public Policy |
Volume | 22 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs |
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Publication status | Published - 2015 |
Externally published | Yes |