Ernst B. Haas and the legacy of neofunctionalism

Abstract

In Europe, the scholarly reputation of Ernst B. Haas is inseparably linked to the vicissitudes of something called 'neofunctionalism'. It is as the founding father of a distinct approach to explaining the dynamics of European integration that he is so well known. This article explicates the strengths and weaknesses of his contribution and explores some changes that should be inserted to make it more relevant to understanding the contemporary politics of the EU. It concludes that, while everyone recognizes that no single theory or approach can explain everything one would like to know and predict about the EU, a revised 'neo-neo' version may still be the best place to start.