European Union Politics

by John McCormick

Cutting through the jargon of EU politics, the third edition of this engaging and informative textbook examines the history, institutions, processes and politics of the European Union with unprecedented clarity. The EU is a fascinating political experiment in regional integration and it has changed our understanding of Europe, how Europeans relate to one another, the role Europe plays in global politics and has even shifted our understanding of politics itself. Helping to make sense of it all in the author's accessible style, this book is underpinned by theory and the latest research throughout. Organised in three main parts, the text covers everything from the history of the EU and its treaties to the institutions that make up the EU and its policies in areas such as the economy, the environment and the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice.

This is the go-to text for all students taking courses or modules on the EU, as well as functioning as an accessible introduction for anyone who wants to find out more about how the EU works and what difference it makes.

New to this
- Fully updated to take account of the latest developments, including the ongoing Brexit negotiations, the 2019 European Parliament elections and more on the fallout from the euro zone and migration crises
- Two new separate chapters to cover the European Council and the Council of Ministers respectively
- More emphasis on comparative politics throughout to compare institutions and policies
- Expanded debates on key issues of contention in the European project
- Expanded coverage of the most recent research into public opinion in the EU
- New Snapshot features in each chapter focusing on a particular EU country

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction

486 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 2011

Reviews

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read the book of "European Union Politics" by McCormick for my Master of European Studies. This book gives a good overview of a variety of different concepts of the EU. It is great to have a broad but still in depth knowledge about EU institutions. The language is very easy to understand and to follow. There is also in each chapter a recap of the key terms, and easy and brief definitions. It is definitely good for students who have no notions about the EU at all or even come from a different continent and never heard much about it as it covers some very introductory features such as the Member State, the European Commissions and so on. However, to make it even more easy to follow I would have like to have a recap timetable of all the key dates at the end of the book. I believe this book is not really suitable for people who are already experts in the field.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested to know more about the EU.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the most current 2020 version of this textbook from cover to cover for a class...

[Sjaraf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book for my specialisation, and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in understanding the origin, enlargement, and integration of the European Union.