The European Union: Politics and Policies

by John McCormick, Jonathan Olsen

Covering the history, governing institutions, and policies of the European Union, John McCormick and Jonathan Olsen argue that the EU is one of the world's economic and political superpowers, has brought far-reaching changes to the lives of Europeans, and has helped its member states to take a newly assertive role on the global stage. Unlike most other books on the European Union, this text pays particular attention to the implications of the EU for the United States.

Thoroughly revised and updated, with many new tables, figures, and boxes, the fifth edition of The European Union takes into account developments in the debate about the character and significance of the EU, changes to the structure of EU institutions, the implications of the recent rounds of enlargement, the Lisbon Treaty, the origins and nature of the crisis in the Eurozone, and key policy developments.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, School

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Brad Rousse · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short, concise overview of the European Union's history, workings and interactions with the world, with particular emphasis on the United States. The book does become incredibly dry when describing how the institutions work, but I doubt it can be helped. If you want to know more about what will likely become a growing player on the world stage, I would recommend this one, with a caveat about being prepared for the slog of the "how the EU works" chapters. The history and interaction chapters, though, are interesting and insightful on how the EU impacts and shapes Europe today.