The course presents the main theories and analytical approaches developed to study processes of regional integration such as federalism, neofunctionalism, liberal intergovernmentalism, and constructivism. It analyses in depth each of these approaches, identifying their underlying assumptions, hypothesis, causalities, and normative implications. The course also discusses to what extent these approaches have been useful to understand and explain the processes of regional integration in Europe and in other parts of the World. Beyond the EU, the course will analyse the cases of Mercosur, SADC and ASEAN.