Does working within European Union institutions fundamentally alter the political attitudes and behaviors of representatives toward European integration? Roger Scully, a scholar specializing in European politics, investigates the socialization process of members of the European Parliament. By analyzing empirical data regarding legislative behavior and individual attitudes, the author challenges the prevailing theory that institutional immersion inevitably fosters a pro-integrationist identity among political actors.

Experts in European integration studies recognize this work as a rigorous empirical challenge to established institutional theories. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a foundational text for scholars analyzing the internal dynamics of the European Parliament.