The Politics of the European Union
The war in Ukraine, energy prices, sustainability, the rise of artificial intelligence: these are just some of the major issues that cannot be tackled without the European Union (EU). At the same time, understanding how the EU works remains a challenge. This month, Cambridge University Press published the third edition of an undergraduate textbook written by Herman Lelieveldt and Sebastiaan Princen from Utrecht University that helps students navigate the complexities of EU politics and policy-making. The Politics of the European Union introduces students to the functioning of the EU by showing the similarities and differences between the EU and national political systems.
Fully revised and updated, this introductory textbook uses the tools of comparative politics to explore the history, theories, institutions, key actors, politics and policy-making of the EU. This comparative approach enables students to apply their knowledge of domestic politics and broader debates in political science to better understand the EU.
About the authors
Herman Lelieveldt
Herman Lelieveldt is Associate Professor in Political Science and Jean Monnet Chair at University College Roosevelt, the liberal arts and sciences college of Utrecht University in Middelburg, the Netherlands. He teaches a broad range of courses in the field of comparative politics, EU politics and EU law. His research focuses on the politics and policies of sustainability transitions in food and energy in the EU and its member states.
Sebastiaan Princen
Sebastiaan Princen is Associate Professor in the field of governance and policy-making in the European Union. He teaches in bachelor's, master's and executive master's programmes at Utrecht University School of Governance. His research focuses on issues of international and European governance – more specifically, policy-making in the European Union. In recent years, he has published extensively on processes of agenda-setting in the EU. His current research deals with the role of policy paradigms in the EU, and the implementation of EU policies.