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L'intégration européenne vue par l'approche cognitive et normative des politiques publiques

2000; Presses de Sciences Po; Volume: 50; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.3406/rfsp.2000.395466

1950-6686

Yves Surel,

Regional Development and Policy

European integration : the cognitive and normative approach This article seeks to ascertain the interest and limits of cognitive policy analysis by applying it to European integration. Cognitive analysis is based on the premise that public policies result from social interactions leading to the production of common ideas, representations and values. Often criticized because of its methodological limitations, this approach seems apt to be applied successfully to the study of the European Union on two basic levels. The cognitive approach is very useful for clarifying the process of the production of meaning, particularly in the case of major public policy changes brought about by European integration. In addition, it makes it possible to question European integration as a vehicle for the restructuring of public space and/ or the formation of apolitical community. The article proposes means of better use of the cogni­tive approach in the European framework, and affirms that the analysis of European integration should be an opportunity for more systematic articulation of the heavy variables of the "three I's" model (interests, institutions, ideas). From that perspective, ideas are merely one of several sets of variables, and the cognitive approach is one of various prisms to be used for the analysis of European integration.