On a clear day you can see the EU": Case Study Methodology in EU Research

Abstract

The article discusses the use of case studies in EU literature, applying a crude distinction between case studies i) using theory to interpret a case and those (ii) elaborating or developing theory through case study. Interestingly, the prevalence of theoretical debates on European integration is not matched by a similar interest in methodology . Thus, although case studies have proliferated in EU research, they have rarely been accompanied by reflection on theoretical ambition and its links with methodology. EU case studies cover the whole range from anthropological fieldwork to positivist system-level studies. The article discusses some basic challenges to case study research. Subsequently, it gives a systematised account of existing studies and points out some key challences for future case studies in the EU milieu.