A concise history of the European Union / Kiran Klaus Patel, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich ; translated by Meredith Dale.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Patel, Kiran Klaus, Author.

Contributor:

Dale, Meredith, translator.

Series:

Cambridge concise histories.

Cambridge concise histories

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

European Union--History.

European Union.

European federation--History.

European federation.

European cooperation--History.

European cooperation.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xiv, 249 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, United Kingdom ; New York, NY : Cambridge University Press, 2026.

Summary:

European integration has many origins, although its history goes back less far than is often assumed. This study offers an accessible and engaging overview of the past and present of today's European Union, from the postwar era to the present day. Beginning with the foundational treaties of the 1950s, the book examines how the EU became an increasingly global actor through the 1980s and 1990s. Focusing particularly on recent developments, Kiran Klaus Patel explores how the EU's current role was far from a given and remains fragile. Looking beyond public discourse fixated on crisis, Patel highlights the adaptability and resilience of the EU and how it has turned challenges into opportunities and expanded its own role in the process. This book sheds new light on the past in order to understand the present - and possible options for the future. In the process, it challenges conventional wisdoms of Europhiles and Eurosceptics alike.

Contents:

2,500 Years and Five Minutes

Under the Radar, 1950-1969

Transformation by Stealth, 1969-1992

Seeking Freedom, 1992-2009

Security First : Course Correction since 2009.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 30 Apr 2026).

ISBN:

9781009717120