[Book Review] Circle of stars : a history of the EU and the people who made it

Abstract

The examination of decision-makers’ personality traits significantly contributes to the study of politics, even though this approach is not very popular with political scientists. In his book Circle of stars: A history of the EU and the people who made it, Dermot Hodson offers a distinct perspective on the European Union’s history which, unlike other historical accounts, focuses on the personalities, beliefs, shifts in opinion, and reasoning of key leaders across various societal domains who played pivotal roles during critical stages in the Union’s development. Hodson’s analysis is not limited to politicians but extends to entrepreneurs, trade union leaders and members of civil society.