PART 1: THE FRANCO-GERMAN RELATIONSHIP: HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS
1 The Franco-German Relationship in Historical Perspective
2 Theoretical Approaches to the Study of Franco-German Relations
PART 2: FRANCE, GERMANY AND EUROPEAN INTEGRATION
3 The Franco-German axis: the pivot of European Union?
4 The Franco-German Relationship in the International Arena?
PART 3: SCENARIOS FOR DEVELOPMENT
5. The Changing Equilibrium of the Franco-German Relationship
6. Conclusions; Bibliography

Suitable for use as a core text in courses of comparative European politics or in departments of Politics. Can also be used for courses that explore the Political Dynamics of the European Union.Franco-German relations lie at the heart of European integration and are central to an understanding of major issues like monetary union and foreign policy. Based on extensive research, this concise text contains a multi-level analysis of this key topic. Describing historical background and examining contemporary debates, it considers the domestic settings of French and German politics; the internal operation of the Franco-German relationship itself; and the impact of the relationship in the wider European context. Cole provides students with a much-needed accessible introduction, and framework for theoretical analysis.