Neofunctionalism

For the similar term used in sociology, see Neofunctionalism (sociology).
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Neofunctionalism is a theory of regional integration which downplays globalisation and reintroduces territory into its governance. Neofunctionalism is often regarded as the first European integration theory developed by Ernst B. Haas in 1958 as part of his PhD research on the European Coal and Steel Community.[1] Neofunctionalism seeks to explain the European integration process[2] and why states accept to become a part of supranational organization.[1] Jean Monnet's approach to European integration, which aimed at integrating individual sectors in hopes of achieving spillover effects to further the process of integration, is said to have followed the neofunctional school's tack.

Ernst B. Haas, later declared the theory of neofunctionalism obsolete, a statement he revoked in his final book,[3] after the process of European integration started stalling in the 1960s, when Charles de Gaulle's "Empty Chair" politics paralyzed the institutions of the European Coal and Steel Community, European Economic Community, and European Atomic Energy Community.[4] The theory was updated and further specified namely by Wayne Sandholtz, Alec Stone Sweet, and their collaborators in the 1990s and in the 2000s (references below). The main contributions of these authors was an employment of empiricism.

After the Maastricht Treaty, neo-functionalism evolved to include new perspectives: ‘legal integration theories,’ ‘institutionalist approaches,’ the ‘constructivist sociohistorical approach,’ and ‘neo-neo-functionalism.’ While not all of these approaches explicitly identify as neo-functionalist, they have refined the original theory to better explain the decision-making processes and the expansion of supranational governance within European integration. This reflects the continued relevance and adaptation of neo-functionalism in understanding how states engage with and support supranational organizations, particularly within the context of European integration.[5]

Today, neofunctionalism is one of the best-known theories of European integration. In the last decades Haas' theory has been revived by several authors, who describe the neofunctionalist theoretical legacy left by him as able to speak directly to current EU studies and comparative regionalism, if it is seen as a dynamic theory that corresponds to established social scientific norms with disciplinary openness.[6][7] Moreover, it frequently draws upon interdisciplinary perspectives, integrating insights from economics, psychology, and cultural studies to enrich the analysis of political phenomena, often using European integration as a primary laboratory for examining the social integration of political entities.[8]

  1. ^ a b Saurugger, Sabine (2013-08-30). Theoretical approaches to European integration. Basingstoke: Red Globe Press. ISBN 978-0-230-25143-4. OCLC 858656984.
  2. ^ Diez, Thomas; Wiener, Antje (2009-05-07). "Introducing the mosaic of integration theory" (PDF). European integration theory. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/hepl/9780199226092.003.0001. ISBN 978-0-19-922609-2. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
  3. ^ Haas, Ernst B. (2004) [1958]. "Introduction: Institutionalism or constructivism?". In Haas, Ernst B. (ed.). The uniting of Europe: political, social, and economic forces, 1950–1957 (3rd ed.). Notre Dame, Indiana: University of Notre Dame Press. p. iii. ISBN 978-0-268-04347-6.
  4. ^ Haas, Ernst B. (1975). The obsolescence of regional integration theory. Berkeley: Institute of International Studies, University of California. ISBN 978-0-87725-125-5.
  5. ^ Binici, Özer (2020-12-20). "Expanding European Integration towards the Western Balkans in Times of Crises: A Neo-Functionalist Examination". Central European Journal of International and Security Studies. 14 (4): 75–98. doi:10.51870/CEJISS.140401.
  6. ^ Rosamond, Ben (April 2005). "The uniting of Europe and the foundation of EU studies: Revisiting the neofunctionalism of Ernst B. Haas" (PDF). Journal of European Public Policy. 12 (5): 237–254. doi:10.1080/13501760500043928. S2CID 143888631.
  7. ^ Börzel, Tanja A., ed. (2006). The disparity of European integration: Revisiting neofunctionalism in honour of Ernst B. Haas. Journal of European Public Policy Special Issues Series. Abingdon, UK New York: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-37490-3.
  8. ^ Binici, Ozer (2022). "European Integration Theory in Times of Crises: Updating 'the Old Debate' with a Morphogenetic Approach". Europolity: Continuity and Change in European Governance. 16: 5.