Understanding the European Union

This concise, accessible and up-to-date edition of John McCormick's excellent book is an ideal introduction for any student wanting to understand what the EU is and what it does. It puts the development of the EU in a comparative and historical perspective, and it encourages its readers to engage in debates about EU integration and how it affects the lives of its citizens. * Magdalena Frennhoff Larsen, University of Westminster, UK * McCormick's book not only delivers an excellent introduction to the main institutions and policies of the European Union. It also covers important topics usually neglected in other text books, such as the changing identity of Europe and citizens' relationship to the Union. The book provides students with all the necessary facts and contexts they need to understand the European Union of today. * Roman Senninger, Aaarhus University, Denmark * Understanding the European Union by John McCormick is an ideal introductory textbook for courses dealing with the historical development and contemporary dynamics of the European Union. It is written in a highly accessible style, particularly for undergraduate students and those with as yet limited familiarity with the EU. The reader is not overwhelmed with unnecessary details, and the book features very effective and useful tables and figures. * Dirk Verheyen, Universitatsservice GmbH, Germany * Understanding the European Union is a broad-ranging but concise introduction to how the EU developed, how it works, what it is, what it does, and the challenges that it faces. The latest edition retains the qualities that make it an ideal introductory text - good level of detail, clear and logical structure, and readable form - while elaborating on some key themes to help understanding of the contemporary EU: for example, the balance between crisis management and everyday policymaking, the advantages of studying the EU from a comparativist perspective, and topical issues such as Brexit. The eight edition updates and expands the figures, boxes, tables and maps that supplement the text without distracting from it. * James Headley, University of Otago, New Zealand * McCormick's Understanding the European Union delivers exactly what its title promises: a concise yet rich, well-informed, original, accessible and refreshing introduction to the European Union that is both easy and incredibly instructive to read. An exquisite teaching resource, this latest edition includes up-to-date information as well as an expanded treatment of the crises facing the EU, Euroscepticism, the EU policy process, and the EU's global context. More than ever, this timely textbook is a must-have for anyone interested in learning about the EU. * Eva Thomann, University of Exeter, UK * McCormick's text is the best introductory guide to the European Union on the market. It is concise and accessible enough for undergraduates but detailed enough to provide baseline knowledge for scholars. Best of all, it is regularly updated so it can both explain the EU itself while addressing the latest crises facing the European Union. Highly recommended to introduce students to the EU! - Seth Jolly, Syracuse University, USA * Seth Jolly, Syracuse University, USA * Understanding the European Union has for many years been an invaluable guide for all those interested in learning about the historical roots of the EU and how it functions in the present day. This latest edition will ensure that continues to be the case at a time of great tumult in European politics. * Christopher Byrne, Leeds Beckett University, UK * Understanding the European Union presents a comprehensive yet concise overview of the history of the European Union and its institutions, as well as the policy-making process and its politics. An excellent text for students that provides a clear introduction to the European Union without sacrificing nuance. - Steffen Blings, Utah State University, USA * Steffen Blings, Utah State University, USA *

John McCormick is Professor of Political Science, Indiana University, Indianapolis, USA, and is author of a number of Red Globe Press's bestselling books in politics, including Comparative Government and Politics (with Rod Hague and Martin Harrop), Cases in Comparative Government and Politics, Understanding the European Union and European Union Politics.

Introduction 1. What is the European Union? 2. The Idea of Europe 3. The Evolution of the EU 4. The European Institutions 5. The EU and its Citizens 6. The EU Policy Process 7. Economic Policy 8. Internal Policies 9. The EU in the World Conclusions