European integration has generated a wide array of economic, political, and social opportunities beyond the nation state. European citizens are free to obtain their academic degree in Germany, earn their money in London, invest it in Luxembourg, and retire to Spain. An early theorist of European integration, Karl Deutsch expected this development to promote a collective identity and public support for European integration: by interacting across borders, Europeans would become aware of their shared values and beliefs, and eventually acquire a common 'we feeling'. Experiencing European Integration puts these expectations under scrutiny by developing a comprehensive theoretical model that helps us understand how transnational interactions relate to orientations towards European integration. An extensive analysis of survey data covering the 27 EU member states provides a thorough empirical test of transactionalist hypotheses. Findings show that individual transnationalism indeed strongly and positively influences EU support, but that only a young, wealthy, and highly educated minority take part in cross-border interactions. The book further shows that the effectiveness of transnational interactions in generating EU support is contingent on a number of factors such as their purpose and scope. Importantly, increased transnational interactions result in negative externalities among those who do not become transnationally active themselves. By discussing the implications of transnationalism for the theoretical debate and current policy, this volume will provide a unique analysis of a key dynamic of European integration.

Winner: UACES Best Book Prize 2016

About the Author
Theresa Kuhn is assistant professor in political science at the University of Amsterdam. Previously, Theresa Kuhn held a postdoctoral research fellowship at Nuffield College, Oxford, and worked as lecturer at Free University Berlin. She obtained her PhD from the European University Institute, Florence, and has held visiting positions at UC Berkeley and WZB Social Science Center Berlin.

Reviews
The book certainly provides an important contribution to the broader field of political sociology of European integration. Bringing rich empirical data and analysis into the theoretical debate about the character of transnationalism within European societies, it will surely stimulate the development of further research. Therefore, the book is highly relevant to scholars who are researching Europeanisation and transnationalisation, as it widens the understanding of the impact that transnationalism has on attitudes toward European integration. It may also be essential to students working in the field of EU studies, as it offers an excellent example of how to carry out quantitative empirical research. Regarding the current political situation in Europe, it is definitely a well-timed book, which may contribute to thinking about problems and possible solutions to this challenging era in the European integration process. * Leandro Aramburu, Humboldt University of Berlin *



Book Information
ISBN 9780199688913
Author Theresa Kuhn
Format Hardback
Page Count 208
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 466g
Dimensions(mm) 240mm * 162mm * 20mm