Security Integration in Europe: How Knowledge-Based Networks Are Transforming the European Union

At a time when many observers question the EUs ability to achieve integration of any significance, and indeed Europeans themselves appear disillusioned, Maia K. Davis Cross argues that the EU has made remarkable advances in security integration, in both its external and internal dimensions. Moreover, internal security integration—such as dealing with terrorism, immigration, cross-border crime, and drug and human trafficking—has made even greater progress with dismantling certain barriers that previously stood at the core of traditional state sovereignty.

Such unprecedented collaboration has become possible thanks to knowledge-based transnational networks, or “epistemic communities,” of ambassadors, military generals, scientists, and other experts who supersede national governments in the diplomacy of security decision making and are making headway at remarkable speed by virtue of their shared expertise, common culture, professional norms, and frequent meetings. Cross brings together nearly 80 personal interviews and a host of recent government documents over the course of five separate case studies to provide a microsociological account of how governance really works in todays EU and what future role it is likely to play in the international environment.

“This is an ambitious work which deals not only with European security and defense but also has much to say about the policy-making process of the EU in general.”

—Ezra Suleiman, Princeton University

University Association for Contemporary European Studies Best Book Prize in Contemporary European Studies

"This book, which draws on impressive first-hand research, is highly recommended to scholars, policy makers and all those interested in understanding how security integration has been unfolding in Europe."

and#8212;Yasemin Irepoglu, EUSAandnbsp;Review

"Distinguishing the role of knowledge and expertise in political decision making is a long-standing challenge for scholars of international politics, including those who focus on arenas with dense networks of policy experts, such as the EU. Security Integration in Europe takes on this question, and provides a number of interesting insights into how and when epistemic communities matter for security policymaking, as well as documenting the surprising range of internal and external security issues that have been taken on by the EU in recent decades."

and#8212;Jim Walsh, H-Net Reviews

"The author generates a fresh and well-timed outlook on security integration through the approach of 'knowledge-based networks' as transformers of the Union."andnbsp;

and#8212;Ramon Loik, JCMS:andnbsp;Journal of Common Market Studies

andquot;The author is to be commended for focusing on an often-overlooked aspect of EU policymaking: how groups of individuals who have specialized knowledge can impact the European integration process. ... [Security Integration in Europe]andnbsp;is valuable as a rare glimpse into the EUandrsquo;s byzantine bureaucracy and technocratic operating culture.andquot;

andmdash;Political Science Quarterly

The European Union is becoming able both to protect its common borders and to contribute to global security

The European Union has made remarkable, unprecedented advances in both external and internal security integration. "Epistemic communities" of ambassadors, military generals, scientists, and other experts who supersede national governments in the diplomacy of security decision making are taking advantage of their shared expertise, common culture, professional norms, and frequent meetings to forge new levels of collaboration. Mai'a K. Davis Cross brings together numerous personal interviews and recent government documents across five separate case studies to construct a microsociological account of how EU governance really works and what future role the EU is likely to play internationally.

Mai'a K. Davis Cross is Assistant Professor of International Relations at the University of Southern California.