Frank Schimmelfennig analyzes the Eastern enlargement of the European Union and NATO and develops a theoretical approach of "rhetorical action" to explain why it occurred. Backed by original data, and drawing on sociological institutional theory, he demonstrates that the expansion to the East can be best understood in terms of liberal democratic values and norms. He highlights the practice of the Western community in shaming opponents into agreeing to enlargement.

List of figures; List of tables; Acknowledgements; List of abbreviations; Introduction; Part I. Security, Power or Welfare? Eastern Enlargement in a Rationalist Perspective: 1. Rationalist institutionalism and the enlargement of regional organizations; 2. NATO enlargement; 3. EU enlargement; Conclusion: the rationalist puzzle of Eastern enlargement; Part II. Expanding the Western Community of Liberal Values and Norms: Eastern Enlargement in a Sociological Perspective: 4. Sociological institutionalism and the enlargement of regional organizations; 5. Eastern enlargement and the Western international community; 6. The event history of enlargement; Conclusion: the sociological solution to the enlargement puzzle; Part III. Association Instead of Membership: Preferences and Bargaining Power in Eastern Enlargement: 7. Process hypotheses; 8. State preferences and the initial enlargement process; Conclusion: the double puzzle of Eastern enlargement; Part IV. From Association to Membership: Rhetorical Action in Eastern Enlargement: 9. Rhetorical action; 10. The decision to enlarge NATO; 11. The decision to enlarge the EU; Conclusion: solving the double puzzle of Eastern enlargement; Strategic action in international community: concluding remarks; Appendix (interviews); List of references; Index.