Same Menu, Seperate Tables: The Institutionalist Turn in Political Science and the Study of European Integration

Abstract

Recent research on European integration has largely profited from the institutionalist turn in political science. Theoretical progress has, however, been hampered by the diverse understandings of this new research tradition. This paper tries to tackle the conceptual diversity in a positive way. We first analyze the neo-institutionalist turn in political science and European studies and then move on to a detailed analysis and comparison of the three competing approaches -sociological, historical, and rational choice institutionalism. Next, we will show that the main differences are as much epistemological as theoretical. A convergence towards a unifying institutionalist approach can thus only be possible if some sort of a methodological convergence takes place. We sketch how a synthesis between the competing schools might appear.'In my country there is a belief . . . that the only thing separating us from the animals is mindless superstitions and pointless rituals'.

Constructing Fortress Europe: Third Country Nationals As Unwelcome Guests

“…As has been discussed in the literature review, it is apparent that this particular framework is an effective tool to analyze the broad modus operandi of an institution such as that of the EU, for it encompasses a "disparate set of ideas with diverse disciplinary origins, analytic assumptions, and explanatory claims" (Jupille & Caporaso, 1999, p. 431). To better explain about the tenets of new institutionalism, Aspinwall and Schneider (2000) note that the framework can be broken down into three approaches: sociological, historical, and rational choice institutionalism. In their own way, these approaches aim to explain the process of uploading and downloading certain policies or competences.…”

“…Conversely, rational choice institutionalism regards political actors as strategic agents of their respective country's national interest. Both sociological and historical institutionalisms are often coupled together as a result of their complementary frameworks and quantitative nature, whilst rational choice institutionalism is a case of its own as result of its qualitative nature (Aspinwall & Schneider, 2000). For the purpose of this paper, taking on a historical institutionalist approach seems to be the best fit, since, for the most part, scholarly claims regarding the securitization of immigration, as well as the conceptualization of citizenship in Europe touch on the development of certain EU policies and approaches over time.…”

Zwischenstadtland Schweiz. Zur politischen Steuerung der suburbanen Entwicklung in Schweizer Gemeinden

“…Ausnahmen sind die Forschung zu supranationalen politischen Institutionen, wobei zum Beispiel EU-Recht und EU-Entscheidungen als strukturelle Phä-nomene und die nationalstaatlichen Reaktionen als Agency betrachtet werden (z.B. Aspinwall und Schneider 2000). Auch Schmidt (2008) Lowndes 2001Lowndes , 2009Savitch und Kantor 2002;Pierre 2005Pierre , 2011).…”

A Sociology of Knowledge Approach to European Integration: Four Analytical Principles

“…This approach is also relevant when examining general theoretical trends within EU studies. As the EU developed towards a more integrated polity, comparative politics, public administration and governance scholars entered the field with different ways of approaching European integration (Aspinwall and Schneider 2000;Jö nsson and Tallberg 2008;Bickerton 2012). The usual (internal) explanation is that the 'governance turn' was a reaction to the 'sterile' debate between intergovernmentalism and neo-functionalism (Hooghe and Marks 2003).…”