Locating ‘World Society’ in European Studies

A sociological institutionalist approach known as ‘World Society’ led by Stanford sociologist John W. Meyer is a useful way to move beyond the state- and EU-centrism that is still prevalent in European studies. It resonates well with both the ‘sociological turn’ in European studies and the rise of constructivist critiques against rational choice accounts of European transformations. Furthermore, it helps to develop neo-institutionalist scholarship on European affairs by providing a macro-sociological approach that establishes the ‘missing link’ between the EU and its broader social environment.