The European Union: How does it work? is the perfect concise introduction to the EU's structure and operations for students coming to the subject for the first time. The sixth edition has been substantially updated to reflect a range of challenges confronting the EU. It incorporates expanded discussions of pressing policy challenges, including migration, climate change, the future of the EU-UK relationship after Brexit, and the erosion of democratic principles in some EU member states. It also offers expanded coverage of the EU-US relationship, the shifting global balance of power, and the impact on the EU of the rise of China and a fragmenting global economy.
The sixth edition sees the arrival of two new authors, Ramona Coman and Dionyssis G. Dimitrakopoulos - contributing Chapter 4 on member states and Chapter 7 on internal policies, respectively - and a new editor, Amelia Hadfield.
Learning features throughout the text help to develop students' understanding of the EU. 'How it really works' boxes demonstrate the working of the EU in practice, and challenge students to contrast this with theoretical perspectives. 'Key terms and concepts' boxes provide concise definitions or summaries of words and ideas that are essential to understanding the EU. Furthermore, each chapter contains boxes exploring specific cases that highlight how the EU works, what it does, or how it has evolved. Taken together, these features encourage students to think laterally and critically about the reality of politics in the European Union.
