Understanding the European Union: A Concise Introduction

by John McCormick

This best-selling textbook provides a broad-ranging but concise introduction to the EU, covering all major aspects of European integration.  The revised and updated new edition takes full acount of the Lisbon Treaty and the consequences for Europe of the global economic crisis.  With 27 member states and nearly half a billion residents, the European Union is a major actor on the world stage. It has changed the way Europeans live, as well as the way the rest of the world relates to Europe. Yet it remains widely misunderstood and a source of puzzlement to

• How does the EU work, and what impact has it had on the lives of Europeans?
• What difference has it made to the meaning of 'Europe'?
• How has it changed the role of Europe in the world?

Written for anyone who needs a short and clear introduction to the EU, John McCormick's best-selling text provides a concise yet broad-ranging survey of how the EU works. It covers the history and institutions of the EU; the underlying principles of European integration; the impact of the EU on its member states and citizens; and the evolution and effect of EU policies. Fully revised, the new fifth edition brings the European story up to date with assessments of the Lisbon Treaty, the fallout from the global economic crisis, and the eurozone crises of 2010–2011.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, History, Academic, International Relations, Textbooks, School

256 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1999

Reviews

[Kyo · Rating 3 out of 5]

To me it seemed like a clear, well-written book about the different aspects of the EU. Possibly a bit biased about the US, but it's hard to judge because I haven't read any other works that go into this level of detail about the EU.

If you want to know or read more about the EU (or just understand the basic things from its structure, to its history, to its decision making, to its policies and so on), this is a great book to pick up.

Happy reading!

[Mălina Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

John McCormick's "Understanding the European Union" is a book I wouldn't quite say I’ve fully read, but rather one I’ve gone through over the course of my undergraduate studies. It is a complex and useful resource that offers valuable insights into the structure and functioning of the EU. However, as events continue to unfold on the European and global stage, the book is beginning to fall behind, and some of its content feels outdated in light of recent developments. Nonetheless, it remains an important reference for anyone seeking a foundational understanding of the European Union.

[Naomi Infeld · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't realize one of my textbooks was here

[Jeremiah Lorrig · Rating 2 out of 5]

As an American living in the EU studying International Politics, this book was recommended by one of my professors. The book dives deep into the complexities of European Government.

The version I read is updated as the 8th edition, and it seems like mostly they just added a depressing bit at the end.

The EU suffers from bad naming conventions. There is a European Council and a Council of Europe. There is an EU Commission President, a President of the European Council, and a President of the European Parliament. I was hoping to have all of this sorted at the end of the book, and while it did help, I still need to watch YouTube videos to figure out what Council is what.

If you want to deep dive on the nerd topic of European government, this will likely be helpful, but they topic is so complex, you should also watch it with YouTube open.

[Robert P. Hoffman · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is difficult in a short book to cover such a broad topic. But even with that qualification the book is too filled with details that get in the way of a good narrative, statistics that are not commented upon, and discussions of issues that are superficial.

A major omission is the author's failure to discuss economics in any clear way. He states that the topic of the euro and the central bank is so complicated. But he could have done a better job in discussing this. Overall not worth reading.

[Vicky P · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was suggested I read this as background reading for a class I am taking this semester. I think that overall it was a well-organized introductory text. I particularly appreciated the chapters in the latter half of the book that were organized according to how the EU affected different groups/people. The world, its member states, individual Europeans, and so forth. I think that at times it was a bit dry, but on the whole it was fairly engaging, and it tried to mostly stay clear of unexplained jargon, which was another point in its favor.

[Arlind · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book achieves its promise: giving a concise introduction to the EU. I liked the explanations of the policy-making process, the economic integration, and the brief but effective historical background. The 7th edition also includes a discussion of Brexit as well as the refugee crisis. However, the author paints the EU in an almost exclusively positive light and dismisses - or does not deal at lengths with - objections raised by critics of the EU. I would also appreciate a discussion of the Western Balkan 6 (WB6) vis-à-vis the EU in their path to accession to the EU.

[Paul Vant · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The transatlantic relationship is - in economic, security and political terms - the most important in the world. But it has blown hot and cold, which is perhaps only to be expected given that the EU and the United States are both major allies and major competitors".

[Roxy Moran · Rating 4 out of 5]

It did what it said it did. 3.5 stars

[Erik Gabele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative but dated. I was clueless to the creation of the EU post WW2 and this short book does the job of explain why and how it happened.

[Luca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dated

[Jack Bagnall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exactly as the title states.

[Haritz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid book that served my expectations of understanding more all the concepts that circle the European Union.
If you're looking for concise literature, the title of this book do not fail.

[Christopher · Rating 2 out of 5]

Useful for giving a background into the history and development of the EU as well as what its strengths and limitations are. Unfortunately, the book is outdated at this point being published in 2005. I don't think I have to tell anybody that a lot has happened in the world since then, and people reading this in 2013 under the continuing saga of the global economic crisis will have trouble justifying the author's enthusiasm for the EU. His assertion that Greece, Spain and Portugal have been successfully integrated with the economies of Britain, Germany and France now give the hind-sighted reader an opportunity to chuckle, and his brief mention of the "democratic deficit" within the EU would seem an understatement considering the EU's recent seizure of bank assets from Cyprus.

[Jill]

Some parts were a bit confusing simply because there were so many details and I was starting to mix them up, but quite a good compilation of information that really brings in the history/background of the EU.

[Arya Nasoetion · Rating 3 out of 5]

It gives you a practical understanding about the EU. Less theory, if I remember correctly.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Concise review of the evolution of the EU. Must read for anyboday who wants to or has to know about this organization...

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had to read this for school. Interesting read on the history of the EU.

[Matteo · Rating 3 out of 5]

i understood little of how the EU worked before - and this interesting book gave me a better sense of who the power players are and how decisions are made. a valuable starting point.

[Jasmine]

I expected to be bored out of my mind, but it was actually pretty good! Political theory, and interesting history.

Now to write a report on it. (Uuuuuuugh.)