Multilateralism

Cognitive psychology

Law and economics

Hypocrisy

Epistemic community

Protectionism

Economics

Institutionalism

European integration

Business

International trade

Psychology

Politics

Political science

Normative

Ideology

Political economy

Sociology

Positive economics

European union

Feature integration theory

JCMS Journal of Common Market Studies

Exposing the ideological conflicts involved in the creation of a Common European Asylum Policy, this article calls for an extension of classic integration theories to look beyond whether crises result in ‘more’ or ‘less’ Europe and to address the substance of European integration. Drawing on actor‐centered institutionalism and organizational sociology, the ‘refugee crisis’ is interpreted as a manifestation of the growing mismatch between the EU's normative striving towards a ‘Union of values’ and the political and institutional limits imposed. The result is organized hypocrisy: the concurrent reinforcement of protective claims and protectionist policies.

‘Failing Forward’ Towards Which Europe? Organized Hypocrisy in the Common European Asylum System