Introducing an expertocratic approach

European integration theories have been strongly influenced by the emergence of ideas-focused or knowledge-based approaches (Richardson 2001; Risse 2004; Waever 2004). Various scholars stressed the role of experts and the prominence of certain ideas in the formation of policies and integration more generally (Jacobsen 1995; Lequesne and Rivaud 2003; Parsons 2002; Radaelli 1999). The debates sometimes centred on the dichotomy between rationalist and constructivist approaches (Checkel 1998, 2001; Pollack 2001). The former would encompass all IR approaches that assume that states can identify their interests. A constructivist approach would seek to ‘scratch the surface’ and see what interests consist of and how they are formulated (Christiansen et al. 1999). Incorporating the importance of norms, rules and paradigms is at the core of this approach.

In order to enhance our understanding of European integration we propose to organise this multitude of ‘approaches’ in a systematic manner. We adopt from these approaches the importance of experts, expertise, policy learning, socialisation, expert communities, ideas and paradigms. We label this composite perspective that focuses on individuals at the ‘working level’ of policy-making an ‘expertocratic approach’. ‘Expertocracy’ literally means the ‘rule of experts’ and, interestingly, the word ‘expert’ derives from the Latin term for ‘trying out’. Thus this term captures nicely what we want to look at: those who ‘rule’ backstage are the ones who are testing out various ideas and who can bring their professional experience to a policy problem.