Uploading, Downloading or Crossloading? Conceptualizing Europeanization and European Integration

This chapter builds on the previous two chapters in developing an understanding of European integration theory and how this may be applied to European integration processes. Chapter 3 develops a conceptualization of Europeanization in terms of meso and substantive theoretical perspectives – and provides an explanation of the ongoing dialectical relationship between European integration processes, European integration theory and Europeanization. To achieve this, the chapter undertakes two interrelated objectives. First, it re-assesses neofunctionalism and intergovernmentalism as grand European integration theories from a non-positivist perspective and through this re-assessment, bring together elements of positivism and constructivism1 in a conceptualization of Europeanization. Second, it examines differences and similarities between European integration theory and Europeanization and through a break down of neo-functionalism identifies Europeanization as a meso theory or middle range theory and elements of this as substantive theory (theory developed in relation to the data).