Governing the European Economy accessibly introduces, maps and explains the nature of European economic space and its importance to development of the future shape of Europe. The book enables the reader to: understand what is meant by the 'economy' and assess the nature and role of 'governance' in a European economic context; review the economic history of the EU and the key economic relationships of the EU and member states; distinguish between both de facto (private) and de jine (public) integrative and disintegrative processes; examine competing ideas of a European 'regulatory order', 'market system' or set of 'self-governing networks' to capture the characteristics of the contemporary European economy; consider questions raised by technological innovation and the environment to locate Europe within the changes and trends in the international and global political economy; This book is unique in that it concentrates on the economy - a growing area of European Union studies. Governing the European Economy is one of three textbooks for The Open University course Governing Europe (DD200).

Author Biography

Grahame Thompson is Professor of Political Economy at The Open University CONTRIBUTORS ARE ALL AT THE OPEN UNIVERSITY EXCEPT: Susan Baker Cardiff University Chris Dent University of Lincoln and Humberside John Grahl University of North London Valerio Lintner London Guildhall University Mike Moran University of Manchester