Abstract :
At certain times in the history of a discipline, theories extend beyond the empirical facts that
have been discovered to test them; at other times, new facts come to light that cannot be
comprehended in terms of the theories available. For the past decade or more, European
integration has thrown up a series of facts that escape the theories on offer. How can one
explain the outcomes of referendums which shape the course of European integration? What
explains public opinion, competition among political parties and the populist pressures that
have thrust Europe into domestic politics? Why has the process of decision making over
Europe changed? These questions have drawn comparativists to examine the European
Union, but this research has rarely been guided by theories of regional integration.
