Theorizing Internal Security in the European Union

This edited volume offers different theories useful for understanding and explaining European Union cooperation on internal security matters. Cooperation on such matters has not only flourished over the past two decades, but - more recently - has also become one of the most politicised or contested areas of European integration. Yet academic studies in the field remain predominantly empirical or not readily accessible to new scholars. The book addresses this major gap by providing a theoretical primer with a palette of options for explaining a complicated issue area, reaching across the divide of critical and more mainstream scholars that typically fragments discussion and debate. Theorizing Internal Security Cooperation in the European Union offers accessible and authoritative contributions by some of the most distinguished scholars in the field. Each chapter reviews the emergence of a major theoretical approach, the current state-of-the art for that approach, and the accompanying methodological considerations before providing an empirical illustration and an outlook on further research and dialogue with other perspectives. This book will serve as a central reference for developing our understanding of EU internal security cooperation, for exploring the ongoing transformation of statehood, and for illuminating the contemporary evolution of the European Union.

Table of Contents:
Part 1: Introduction 1: Raphael Bossong and Mark Rhinard: Alternative Perspectives on Internal Security Cooperation in the European Union: Setting the Scene 2: Jörg Monar: EU Internal Security Cooperation After Four Decades: Observations and Reflections Part 2: Theoretical perspectives 3: Thierry Balzacq: Securitisation: Understanding the Analytics of Government 4: Didier Bigo: International Political Sociology: Internal Security as Transnational Power Fields 5: Raphael Bossong and Sandra Lavenex: Governance and EU Internal Security Cooperation 6: Valsamis Mitsilegas: Rule of Law: Theorizing EU Internal Security Cooperation from a Legal Perspective 7: Arne Niemann: Neofunctionalism and EU Internal Security Cooperation 8: Ariadna Ripoll Servent and Dora Kostakopoulou: Institutionalism: Shaping Internal Security Cooperation in the EU Part 3: Concluding remarks 9: Raphael Bossong and Mark Rhinard: Next Steps in Theorizing Internal Security in the EU

About the Author :
Raphael Bossong is Lecturer in European Studies and affiliated with the Centre for Internet and Human Rights as well as B/Orders in Motion Research Centre at the Europe University Viadrina. His research focuses on EU internal security policy, transnational crisis management and evolution of security governance. Beyond numerous publications, he also contributed to several European research consortiums on these topics. His recent edited volumes include EU Borders and Shifting Internal Security (2016, Springer International, with H. Carrapico), European civil security governance (2015, Palgrave Macmillan, with H. Hegemann) and Explaining EU Internal Security Cooperation (2014, Routledge, with M. Rhinard). Mark Rhinard is Professor of International Relations at Stockholm University and Senior Research Fellow at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs. His research examines international cooperation on complex threats, with a special interest in the European Union. His recent works include The European Commission (with Neill Nugent; 2015, Palgrave) and Explaining EU Internal Security Cooperation (with Raphael Bossong; 2014, Routledge).

Review :
the book largely succeeds in its main aim and will likely establish itself as a major reference work for all researchers interested in European security co-operation.