A constructivist approach to understanding the European Union as a federalpolity

Constructivist approaches emerging in the field of international relations may be used to develop better federal theories for EU analysis by refocusin g attention on political practices, intersubjective meanings and informal n orms. Conversely, the detailed analysis of the EU which has been generated by using federalism as a theoretical prism, the rich theoretical tradition of federalism and policy-makers' common understanding of the EU in federal terms provide international relations scholars with a productive medium for gaining a better understanding of the emerging European polity.