I took a course on the European Union at the University of Pittsburgh with only the dimmest idea about what the EU was about. This book, one of the books assigned for the course, is a very readable, very understandable dissection of the EU's history, its structure and its internal politics. I highly recommend to anyone reading about the EU for the first time or taking a class on the EU.

John McCormick's book on European Union policy and politics is a great book for people who want to learn more about the EU. The book is broken up nicely into three parts: Part One deals with the evolution of the European Union and gives a good background on how the European Community began in the 1950's; to the evolution of the European Union up and through the Treaty of Maastericht. Part two discusses the institutions of the EU. The EU Parliament, Commission, Council of Ministers, Court of Justice, and the European Council; the book tells how each one works and what roles each body plays in government and politics. The third and final section talks about EU policies...from Education through Economics all EU policies are broken down and analyzed in the book. I think the book is a great tool for students learning about the EU and people who take an interest in European Politics. Believe me when I say..."you won't be dissappointed."

I didn't really read the book. My girlfriends dad wrote the book and I thought it was cool that he did that so I thought I'd write this! I also wanted to see what this looks like! Anyway good job Dr. Hoffman! I can't believe you wrote a book, I don't have the patients (ha ha bad joke) for that!

Michael Baun's volume analyzes the Maastricht process from an intergovernmentalist perspective with an emphasis on the influence of France and Germany. His case study intelligently acknowledges the role of the smaller countries like Denmark in the Maastricht ratification crisis as well as the input and influence of Delors as European Commission President in the preparations for, and implementation of, the EMU conference.

Baun's chapters provide an excellent sense of the historical evolution of the European Community (EC) before 1989, the events leading up to the convening of the intergovernmental conferences (IGCs), the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and Political Union negotiations, the ratification of the Treaty, including the initial Danish rejection of Maastricht in a national referendum and the post-Maastricht identity crisis. The chapter titled "Consolidating the Union" is a fine overview of the issues in Pandora's box opened by the Maastricht process such as the gap between political elites and popular opinion about the aims of European integration, the crisis in monetary integration and the challenges bound to arise in the subsequent 1996 IGC. Three challenges mentioned include the enlargement of the Union, the democratic deficit and what Baun terms "the continued German problem."

This book highlights two logics - security and geopolitics, on the one hand, and interdependence and economic necessity, on the other. Baun argues that the events of 1989-90 established the logic of security as "the predominant force of European integration." His study, with its emphasis on realism, posits states as the major actors in world affairs. Baun writes that these two logics in operation since the late 1940s are logics of integration whose "relative importance for European integration has changed over time." (Baun, An Imperfect Union, 1996, 160) However, in contrast to Baun's analysis, Stanley Hoffmann's distinction between the logic of integration and the logic of separateness, made in his analysis of the relevance of the balance of power to the Nixon/Kissinger world of the early 1970s, remains valid.: "The logic of traditional international state politics is that of separateness." (Hoffmann, in The Great Nixon Turnaround, 1973, 291)

In its entirety, Baun's volume is an extremely useful account of the Maastricht process that presents the key issues of the negotiations. The book, enhanced by Susan McEachern's meticulous editing, provides a highly readable narrative of the IGCs for university students and the general public alike.

particularily enjoying for those hunters who like to "do it yourself". It has thrills, chills and exciting encounters with elephants, agressive rhino and other african bush dwellers. The writing is good but could be imbellished upon. I give it 4 stars

This book was adapted from a series of lectures, and I just *know* that had I been there for the lectures I would have fallen asleep, because the same thing occurred when I attempted to read this book. Good rule of thumb: only read this book if you'll be tested on it later.

For individuals who have an interest in discussion material pertaining to global, ethical politics. This is not a Political Science 101 level book. It demands concentrated effort, but it is worth the effort. Mr. Hoffman's book provides ample material in revealing the detailed problems of dealing with geo-political, ethical issues in an increasingly smaller world.

This book describes why morality cannot be readily applied inter-state. The book is for readers seeking in-depth understanding of the practical political limitations of translating moral principles into foreign policy development(usually dominated by national interests). It nevertheless credibly establishes a method.
It requires previous or parallel efforts in understanding the core tenets of modern political science, i.e. not for lightweights. Pertinent to today's US-world relationships.