Amy Verdun holds the Jean Monnet Chair in European Integration Studies and is director of the European Studies Programme at the University of Victoria, British Columbia.

With euro banknotes and coins starting to circulate as of January 2002, this timely book comes at a crucial juncture for the European Union. Exploring the origins of and progress toward the introduction of the euro, the contributors focus on the importance of economic and monetary union (EMU) as part of the larger process of European integration. Thus, chapters consider the value and limits of a range of theoretical approaches for understanding economic and monetary integration, the pros and cons of EMU's institutional design, and country-specific experiences. With an international group of leading scholars representing a range of disciplines, this book offers a broad perspective on the dynamics of EMU.

Chapter 1 Introduction: European Integration, Theories and Global Change Part 2 The Explanatory Power of Intergration Theories: Examining Economic and Monetary Union Chapter 3 Merging Neofunctionalism and Intergovernmentalism: Lessons from EMU Chapter 4 Neofunctionalism and Intergovernmentalism Amalgamated: The Case of EMU Chapter 5 Why States Want EMU: Developing a Theory on National Preferences Part 6 Theorising Monetary Integration: Ideas and Identities Chapter 7 EMU: A Neoliberal Construction Chapter 8 EMU as Europeanisation: Convergence, Diversity, and Contingency Chapter 9 The Gendered Limitations of European Citizenship and Monetary Integration Part 10 Institutions and Accountability Chapter 11 Multilevel Governance and the Independence of the European Central Bank Chapter 12 Macroeconomic Preferences and Europe's Democratic Deficit Chapter 13 The Shape of Things to Come: The EU's Post-EMU Institutional Architechture Part 14 Country Studies Chapter 15 EMU, Integration Theories, and the Annoying Complexities of French Policy-making Chapter 16 German Influence in Shaping EMU: Still a Tamed Power? Chapter 17 European Monetary Integration and Integration Theory: Insights from the Italian Case Part 18 Conclusion: Lessons from Economic and Monetary Union for Theorising European Integration