European Union Enlargement: A Comparative History

Description:
European Union Enlargement provides a comparative analysis of the post-war European policies of those states that joined the European Union between 1973 and 1995. The volume draws upon new empirical research in order to investigate the policies that these 'newcomer' states have had towards Europe since 1945, with an emphasis on their experience of membership and its possible Europeanising effect. A final comparative chapter draws the national European policies of the 'newcomers' together and outlines what they have brought to the EU. The book also tests integration theories against the available evidence, demonstrating their limited explanatory value and the economic, political and cultural specificity of different national paths towards EU integration. This book includes in-depth studies focusing on the European policies of the UK, Denmark, Ireland, Greece, Portugal, Spain, Austria, Finland and Sweden. It will interest students and researchers of the European Union as well as those concerned with European politics and contemporary history in general.

Table of Contents:
1. 'What Alternative is open to us?': Britain Wolfram Kaiser 2. A Kingdom Divided: Denmark Johnny Laursen 3. From Isolation to Involvement: Ireland Edward Moxon-Browne 4. State Interests, External Dependency Trajectories and 'Europe' : Greece Kostas Ifantis 5. In Search of Lost Europe: Spain Ricardo Martin de la Guardia 6. From Atlantic past to European Destiny: Portugal Antonio Costa Pinto and Nuno Severiano Teixeira 7. A Newcomer Experienced in European integration: Austria Michael Gehler 8. If in 'Europe', then its Core?: Finland Hanna Ojanen 9. Combining Dependence with Distance: Sweden Maria Gussarsson 10. A Fool's Game or a comedy of Errors?: EU Enlargements in Comparative Perspective Jurgen Elvert