"How refreshing to encounter a book which not only seeks to understand the social transformations of Europe but also attends to matters of the European economy and the European state. This is a sociology book which ‘ticks all the right boxes' for students of political science, and, at the same time, advances a particularly sociological approach to the study of Europe ... It should become essential reading, not only for sociology students and those following European Studies courses, but also for a range of scholars from disciplines that have hitherto viewed 'European society' as alien territory." British Journal of Sociology "By drawing on a wide range of empirical and theoretical studies, Outhwaite has written a readable and accessible book on contemporary European society." Sociology   "An insightful study of the emerging shape of Europe. Outhwaite skillfully demonstrates the significance of a European as opposed to a national level of analysis. A lot of ground is covered in this excellent short book." Gerard Delanty, University of Sussex