This book investigates the mechanisms through which the European Union evolved from a limited site of economic cooperation into a complex, multi-layered governing entity. The authors, Alec Stone Sweet, Neil Fligstein, and Wayne Sandholtz, utilize institutionalist theory to analyze the transformation of European governance over the latter half of the twentieth century. By examining the interplay between supranational organizations and national interests, the text argues that the process of institutionalization is driven by a self-reinforcing cycle of legal and political integration. The work provides a structured framework for understanding how policy domains expand and solidify within the European political space.

Experts frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the development of European integration through an institutionalist lens. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which is tailored for scholars and students of political science and international law.