A European 'society of states' - but only states of mind?

The late Martin Wight (1917-72) made a significant contribution to the study of international Relations by developing the concept of an international 'society of states'. In such a society, he argued, states accept a number of norms and conventions governing their behaviour, which facilitate the management and resolution of interstate conflicts. The article argues that some of Wight's concepts can help to illuminate the current functioning of the European Union-seen as a body of states subject to a wide range of rules, both formal and informal-especially if these concepts are combined with the 'scientific' research methods developed more recently. In this connection, particular attention is paid to the historically based theoretical model developed by Andrew Moravcsik.