A Geography Of European Integration

Examines the human geography of Europe within a theoretical framework and the context of the collapse of the Soviet Bloc and the expansion of the European Community. Amongst the areas covered are the structure of European economic geography and the concept of the fourth Kondratiev Wave.

This volume explains the national and regional border modifications that took place in Europe from 1870 to 2020. It provides insights that allow us to understand boundary changes for several different levels of territorial organization. The text describes the state formation process related to the regional-administrative structures in each European country, and offers insight into the degree of centralization historically by describing the extent of legislative autonomy at different administrative levels and the competences reserved for each of them. The book sheds light on the complex regional organization of Europe and the difficulties its reform has faced. The main audience will be academics and PhD/Masters students working in a variety of geography fields, and the maps included in each chapter will also be of interest to a broader audience including undergraduate and secondary-school students wishing to better understand the political history of Europe.

TRY (FREE for 14 days), OR RENT this title: www.wileystudentchoice.com Europe is the second-smallest of the continents, yet it is the third most populated—and its rich history has played out on the world's maps for centuries. The region's borders have undergone near-continuous evolution through the rise and fall of nations, rebellions, and civilizations, and the paths these borders take have repercussions around the globe. This book presents a systematic survey of Europe and individual country-by-country coverage based on the most current data. From the core of the European Union to the lesser-known corners of the continent, this book provides in-depth examination of the physical, cultural, economic, and political geography of this powerful region. Fresh perspective sheds new light on recent events including Brexit, Russia's takeover of Crimea, terrorist attacks in France, and the EU's newest members, while the European Union's future is explored in light of the possible loss of the region’s second-largest economy. With deep insight into each nation and its relationship to the region, this book offers a uniquely intimate look at the various dynamics shaping Europe today.

International line up of contributors Tackles the big issues facing Europe eg. north - south and east - west divides Chapters incorporate specific case studies with broader European analysis

A European Geography provides a geographical interpretation and exposition of the whole of Europe. Beginning with a historical and envronmental introduction, the text covers the cultural identity, political structure, economic organisation and social context of Europe, examining the complex issues that are shaping the characteristics and meaning of contemporary Europe. More than fifty contributors are drawn from Europe and North America, contributing a wealth of research expertise in their specialist subject areas. Detailed case studies provide empirical examples of the broader research themes examined. A European Geography is written for undergraduate students taking courses on Europe, Regional Geography, European Studies, and European Integration. It will provide valuable reading for anyone interested in developing a detailed understanding of the processes shaping contemporary Europe.

Can the European Union continue to grow and also converge? Is uniformity within the union desirable? The European Union has grown into a supranational entity formed from a mosaic of diverse regions. Its enlargement to encompass a number of Central European countries seems only a matter of time. With the EU's political and economic importance growing globally, the Union's influence is increasingly being felt within its Member States. A new geography is emerging with pressures to reduce regional disparities by a process of convergence. A Geography of the European Union provides a comprehensive introduction to the European Union, its identity, problems and prospects. Focusing on the key issues of integration and enlargement, the authors examine the major economic, social, environmental and political aspects of the EU, both in terms of its individual regions and as a system of interdependent states that form the single EU entity. Assessment of controversial issues is frank: problems of unemployment, social stress, ageing and the place of women are covered objectively, prompting readers to form their own interpretations. This completely revised and expanded 2nd Edition includes a wealth of new illustrations, data and analysis. Setting the EU within a broader European and global context, this book provides a comprehensive introduction to the changing geography of the European Union and its place in a rapidly changing world.

European macro-regions, Euroregions and other forms of inter-regional, cross-border cooperation have helped to shape new scenarios and new relational spaces which may generate opportunities for economic development, while redefining the political and economic meaning of national borders. This book is based on a number of key case studies which are crucial to understanding the complex web of political, economic and cultural factors that shape the heterogeneous picture of Europe’s new geography. This book provides a fresh view on this phenomenon, with a realistic approach shedding light on its complexity as well as on its ambiguities. The new macro-regions are interpreted with an approach recognizing the importance of institutionalization, but also their flexible configuration and "blurred" borders. The book also raises the issue of credibility and legitimacy, arguing that inter-regional cooperation has to be removed from the foggy realm of the exchanges between local political and bureaucratic elites in order to be clearly and concretely motivated, and functional to key strategic objectives of the regions. Finally, the authors suggest a complementarity between relations based on proximity and wider (possibly global) networks where some territories, and especially metropolises, find opportunities based on "virtual" proximity. Europe's Changing Geography provides a substantial re-appraisal of a key phenomenon in the process of European integration today. It will be of interest both to scholars of the political economy of European regionalism and to practitioners.

A European Geography provides a geographical interpretation and exposition of the whole of Europe. Beginning with a historical and envronmental introduction, the text covers the cultural identity, political structure, economic organisation and social context of Europe, examining the complex issues that are shaping the characteristics and meaning of contemporary Europe. More than fifty contributors are drawn from Europe and North America, contributing a wealth of research expertise in their specialist subject areas. Detailed case studies provide empirical examples of the broader research themes examined. A European Geography is written for undergraduate students taking courses on Europe, Regional Geography, European Studies, and European Integration. It will provide valuable reading for anyone interested in developing a detailed understanding of the processes shaping contemporary Europe.

Europe's space is in a flux. Earlier cores and peripheries in Europe are experiencing a profound transformation. The driving forces include, amongst others, Western European economic and political integration, and Eastern European transition. We are also witnessing fundamental technological and organisational restructuring of industrial systems. Information technology and telecommunications are rapidly altering the requisites for comparative advantage. Peripherality is being determined more by access to networks than by geographical location. Economies of scale can be attained in distributed networks of production with good access to markets as well as in large agglomerations. Clearly, these changes also call for new perspectives in regional analysis. This book derives its impetus from an Advanced Summer institute in Regional Science which was arranged in Joensuu, Finland, in 1993 under the auspices of the European Regional Science Association. Some of the papers, which were discussed at the institute, were thoroughly revised for the present purpose. In addition, chapters on specific topics were specially written for the volume. In most contributions, the focus is on the Nordic countries and their internal peripheries. They form a particularly interesting case in assessing prospects for the multi-faceted centre-periphery confrontation in Europe.

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