At first sight it might seem strange to investigate the linkages between Max Weber and European integration. Weber is known as the theoretician of the sovereign nation-state and as a German liberal nationalist. However, with the unification of Germany and the deepening of European integration, there are many parallels between the problems in present-day Europe and the major political issues that Weber faced during his lifetime. Moreover, as we shall see, the theoretical concerns of Weber's sociology are highly relevant to contemporary debates about the future of Europe.