"Integration through law" and us

Abstract

This article examines the general introduction to the vast and still impressive Integration through Law (ITL) series, which, if by the force of the title alone, has had a powerful impact on the development of EU studies. This introduction deals essentially with the following question: How does law operate in a non-legal context in order to produce a pluralist form of "federal union" in Europe? While the question remains valid, the context, however, has dramatically changed. The difficulty is to find a way to pursue integration in a context not only of a profound and multifaceted crisis, but in an atmosphere of widespread mistrust in the positive force of law. By engaging a discussion with the ITL project, this article aims to prompt a reflection on integration in light of current social and political conditions.