The European Union and the Return of the Nation State: Interdisciplinary European Studies

This book explores the complex and ever-changing relationship between the European Union and its member states. The recent surge in tension in this relationship has been prompted by the actions of some member state governments as they question fundamental EU values and principles and refuse to implement common decisions seemingly on the basis of narrowly defined national interests. Furthermore, Brexit forces the EU for the first time to face the prospect of a major member state preparing to leave the Union. Are these developments heralding the return of the nation-state, and if so, in what form? Is the national revival a lasting phenomenon that will affect the EU for a long time to come, or is it a transitory trend? This book takes an interdisciplinary approach to answer these questions. It brings together scholars from economics, law, and political science to provide insights into the multifaceted relations between the Union and its member states from different perspectives. Allchapters are based on up-to-date research findings, succinct assessments of the current state of affairs and ongoing debates about the direction of European integration. The book concludes by offering policy recommendations at European and national levels.

Antonina Bakardjieva Engelbrekt is Professor of European Law at the Faculty of Law at Stockholm University, Sweden, and Chair of the Swedish Network for European Legal Studies. She was Torsten and Ragnar Söderberg Professor of Legal Science (2015-2018). Her research is in the area of European economic law with an interest in processes of Europeanisation and globalisation and their influence on national law and institutions.

Karin Leijon is a researcher at the Department of Government, Uppsala University, Sweden. She is Coordinator for the Swedish Network for European Studies in Political Science (SNES). Her research focuses on judicial politics, European legal integration and public administration.

Anna Michalski is Associate Professor in Political Science at the Department of Government, Uppsala University, Sweden, Associate Senior Fellow at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs, and Visiting Scholar at Hong Kong University. She is Chair for the Swedish Network for European Studies in Political Science (SNES). Her research focuses on European foreign policy, EU-China relations, strategic partnerships and socialization in international organizations.

Lars Oxelheim is Professor of International Business and Finance at the University of Agder, Norway, and Professor Emeritus at Lund University, Sweden. He is affiliated with the Research Institute of Industrial Economics, Stockholm, Sweden, and Honorary Professor at Fudan University, Shanghai, China. His research focuses on the interplay between the firm and its macroeconomic environment encompassing economic and financial integration as well as managerial aspects, corporate governance and risk management.