The European Union and the Return of the Nation State

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. All chapters 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 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).
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).
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).
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.