Contentious Integration: Conflicts in the History of the European Union

Abstract

This Forum examines conflict as a constitutive feature of European integration, challenging the view that current tensions are unprecedented. It adopts a long-term perspective, emphasizing how enduring conflicts over distribution, identity, and political sovereignty shape the integration process, particularly during periods of enlargement and institutional change. Drawing on diverse historical case studies, the contributions analyse how these tensions manifest across social groups, political institutions, and economic actors.