ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts covered in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book focuses on the future of the European Union (EU) by examining, in theoretical and empirical terms, how it was able to achieve its high level of integration. It begins by outlining some thoughts regarding European integration, including some of the most often cited claims: economic rationality, neofunctionalism, and neorealism. Neofunctionalism offers some understanding of how states can be integrated, but the central mechanism lacks predictive power. The book explains, through a power transition prospective, that integration requires a member state to act as a capable leader. Such a state will need to draw from its own economic strength to coordinate other states to form institutions, decision-making procedures, and policies that drive integration forward. The book also details the major challenges facing the EU that will test its ability to continue.
