[...] The present collective volume attempts to thoroughly explore the developments and specific characteristics of the European Union in all critical areas of modern European reality, 50 years after its establishment. After a chapter on "Methodological Pluralism" and "Interdisciplinarity in European Studies" by P. Kazakos, the contributions of K. E. Botsiou on the "Ideological and Political Origin of European Integration", M. I. Tsinisizelis and D. N. Chrysoschou on the "Theory of Political Integration", K. A. Stefanou on the "Institutional System of the EU", E. Lousi on the "Legal Order of the EU", G. Papadimitriou on the "Constitutionalization of the EU and the European Constitution", P. K. Ioakeimidou on "Enlargement, Deepening and the Constitutional Treaty", D. V. Skiadas on the "Budget of the EU", L. Tsoukalis on the "European Monetary Union", Th. Pelagidis on "European Economic and Monetary Integration in the Context of Globalization", A. G. Passas on the "Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU", K. Yfantis on the "European Security and Defense Policy", K. A. Lavda and D. K. Xenaki on "Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation and European Neighborhood Policy", H. Nikolakopoulou-Stefanou on "EU Immigration and Asylum Policies", D. I. Moutsatsos on the "Institutional Dimension of Common Trade Policy" as well as "External Trade Relations of the European Union", K. P. Heliopoulos on the "Competition Policy of the EU", G. Andreou and N. Maravegia on the "Structural Policy of the EU", K. Papageorgiou on the "Common Agricultural Policy", D. Tsantili and K. Hatzibirou on the "Environmental Policy of the EU", G. N. Tfantopoulos on the "Social Policy of the EU", A. Mitsos on the "Research Policy of the EU", and N. Papadakis on the "Educational Policy of the EU". Finally, a concluding contribution by E. Karafotaki on the "Enlargements of the EU" follows [...]

(from the editors' preface)