Research Methods in European Union Studies

Research on the European Union over the past few years has been strongly implicated in the crises that currently grip Europe with a failure to ask the pertinent questions as well as a perceived weakness in the methods and evidence used by researchers providing the basis for these allegations. This volume moves the study of EU research strategies beyond the dichotomies of the past towards a new agenda for research on Europe through a rich diversity of problem-solving based research. This new agenda acknowledges the weaknesses of the past and moves beyond them towards greater openness and awareness of the importance of research strategies, designs and methods. The 20 chapters in this collection range from micro-level analyses of identities, single policy studies and European discourse, through meso-level analysis of agenda setting, bargaining, implementation and Europeanisation, to macro-level analyses of the EU as a global actor, European integration and globalisation as well as hard and soft governance, elections and party groups, attitude formation, and new-regionalism. As such, it provides a comprehensive and accessible guide to conducting research on the European Union today.

Table of Contents:
PART I: OVERVIEW 1. Crossroads in European Union Studies; Kennet Lynggaard, Karl Lofgren and Ian Manners 2. Methodology in European Union Studies; Ben Rosamond 3. European Union History; Ann-Christina L. Knudsen PART II: MICRO-ANALYSIS 4. European Identity: Conflict and Cooperation; Angela Bourne 5. People and Social Groups in the European Union; Michael Strange 6. Single Policy Study: Three Variations in Design; Annica Kronsell and Ian Manners 7. Analysing European Discourses; Amandine Crespy PART III: MESO-ANALYSIS 8. Agenda-setting; Sebastiaan Princen 9. Studies of Bargaining in the European Union; Sara Hagemann 10. Implementation Studies: Beyond a Legalistic Approach; Karl Lofgren 11. Analysing Networks; Jenny M. Lewis and Sevasti Chatzopoulou 12. Visual Primes and European Union Identity: Designing Experimental Research; Laura Cram and Stratos Patrikios 13. Europeanisation; Theofanis Exadaktylos and Claudio M. Radaelli PART IV: MACRO-ANALYSIS 14. The European Union in Global Politics: Normative Power and Longitudinal Interpretation; Ian Manners 15. The Blurred Boundaries and Multiple Effects of European Integration and Globalisation; Kennet Lynggaard 16. Hard and Soft Governance; Martino Maggetti 17. Political Parties and the European Union; Magnus Blomgren 18. Studying European Union Attitude Formation Using Experiments; Julie Hassing Nielsen 19. European Union Studies and the New Regionalism; Alex Warleigh-Lack 20. Research Strategies in European Union Studies: Beyond Dichotomies; Ian Manners, Kennet Lynggaard, and Karl Lofgren

About the Author :
Kennet Lynggaard is Associate Professor in European Union studies at the Department of Society and Globalisation, Roskilde University, Denmark. His research interests are focussed on EU governance, research design in EU studies, Europeanisation, European integration and globalisation and symbols and myths in European integration. Ian Manners is Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. His research interests lie at the intersections of the critical social theory and the study of the European Union in global politics including the European Union's normative power in global politics, symbols and myths in European integration, glocal environmental governance and global public governance. Karl Lofgren is Associate Professor in the School of Government at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. His research interests evolves around electronic Government with a special emphasis on the policy aspects, surveillance and data protection policy, new media and democracy, governance and policy implementation and new forms of local democracy. He is the author, co-author or editor of five books and has published among others in International Journal of Public Administration, Parliamentary Affairs, Local Government Studies, Planning Theory and Public Policy and Administration.

Review :
'Those researching the EU are confronted with a bewildering menu of epistemologies, methodologies, research designs, and methods of data collection and analysis. In this very welcome volume, seasoned EU scholars unlock these bodies of knowledge and tailor them to the specific needs of 'their' sub-fields. The volume is a must read for all who seek to find more convincing answers to their research questions. And who does not?' - Markus Haverland, Professor of Political Science, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands 'This volume will serve as an extremely useful compendium of methodological issues and options for both budding scholars and established experts on the EU. To get a strong, comprehensive view of where research methods in EU studies stand today, start here.' - Craig Parsons, Professor of Political Science and Director of European Studies, University of Oregon, USA 'This book is a must-read for any student and scholar working on European integration. Research methods and design in EU studies have, at best, been implicitly dealt with by individual scholars struggling through the maze of publications. The editors of this collective volume have brought together a stellar group of experts who provide highly instructive insights into the full range of methodologies associated with problem-driven research in EU studies. This excellent volume fills a huge gap in the literature.'-Sabine Saurugger, Professor of Political Science, Sciences Po Grenoble, France