Another Europe Was Thinkable: Unearthing and Unmasking Early EU integration theories

While European Union (EU) studies has emerged as a recognized discipline, the editors of this special issue highlight some biases in the field. Against this background, this article analyses how key textbooks represent EU integration theories. Problematizing the ‘grand debate’ between neofunctionalism and intergovernmentalism, it advances four earlier integration theories (1940-50s), showing their critical potential but also their colonial and eurocentric assumptions. The article concludes by calling for more research into anti-colonial perspectives on the European project.