mathematics

Postfunctionalism

Postfunctionalism is a mathematics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Postfunctionalism rather than just read about it. In short: Postfunctionalism is a theory of European integration put forward by Liesbet Hooghe and Gary Marks in 2008. It is in opposition to the previous two main theories of European integration—neofunctionalism and intergovernmentalism—as they could not explain critical aspects of European integration such as referendums and European issues becoming a part of national politics.

Key takeaways

Postfunctionalism belongs to mathematics; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Postfunctionalism to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Postfunctionalism from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Postfunctionalism is a theory of European integration put forward by Liesbet Hooghe and Gary Marks in 2008. It is in opposition to the previous two main theories of European integration—neofunctionalism and intergovernmentalism—as they could not explain critical aspects of European integration such as referendums and European issues becoming a part of national politics. Postfunctionalism emphasises that the European Union has become politicised, and that it is now hard to separate the politics of the EU from that of member states. Hence, the preferences of political parties and national publics now play a crucial role in shaping the EU's politics and integration. Postfunctionalism also puts people's identities at the heart of the debate on European integration, as identifying as European vs. national has a strong correlation with a person's support of the EU and European integration. In 2019, Hooghe and Marks advocated for a pluralist approach to theories of European integration. On this account, neofunctionalism, intergovernmentalism and postfunctionalism are not competing approaches but, rather, lenses that discipline our thinking about "the behavior of key actors, the arenas in which they act, and the causal mechanisms that connect their actions to institutional outcomes". Each approach offers a distinct analysis of EU crises where "the Eurocrisis, the migration crisis, Brexit, and illiberalism can be viewed as episodes of intergovernmental bargaining, path-dependent spillovers, and ideological conflict". Rather than test the theories themselves, these theories can be "mined for conflicting hypotheses that can be systematically tested against each other".

Summary of Hooghe and Marks (2019) Grand Theories of European Integration in the Twenty-First Century

See also Neofunctionalism Intergovernmentalism

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Postfunctionalism

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Postfunctionalism claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In mathematics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Postfunctionalism before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Postfunctionalism ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Postfunctionalism

In research: Postfunctionalism appears in mathematics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Postfunctionalism in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Postfunctionalism is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics European Union, Political science stubs, Political science theories, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Postfunctionalism outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Postfunctionalism in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Postfunctionalism means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Postfunctionalism out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Postfunctionalism in simple terms?

Why does Postfunctionalism matter?

Because it connects several mathematics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Postfunctionalism?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Postfunctionalism.