EU CORE AND PERIPHERY: APPLICATION OF STRATIFICATORY DIFFERENTIATION THEORY TO EUROPEAN INTEGRATION

Abstract

This paper brings sociology to European integration. The author claims that even though the European Union is a unique entity, it can still be analyzed in the framework of international relations. Therefore, the sociological theory of stratificatory differentiation can be applied to European integration. From the formal point of view, all EU member states are equal and remain sovereign actors in international relations; the EU is conceptualized as a network organization. However, this paper concludes that there is an unofficial stratification in the organization based on cultural and economic differences. Western core EU states (France and Germany in particular) constitute the higher stratum; the new (post-communist) member states occupy the subaltern status. The tentative claim of the author is that this unofficial stratification results in a differentiated impact of EU policies on the interests of EU member states.