European Political Economy: An International Political Economy Perspective on Europe

The study of European political economy (EPE) allows for numerous definitions and perspectives because its subject matter lies at the crossroads of many interrelated disciplines. As it is inserted within the broader field of political economy it is necessary at the outset to provide a definition of the term ‘political economy’. While political economy can be defined in various ways, perhaps the key distinction is between approaches to the subject which begin from an economic standpoint, and those which proceed from the perspective of political science.