Europeanization is a highly complex phenomenon researched through various approaches, methodological frames and concepts. One of the leading discussions in literature is whether Europeanization happens as a top-down or a bottom-up phenomenon. At the same time, other approaches emerge and Europeanization is increasingly being researched as a multi-directional process, which incorporates both perspectives. This article gives an outline of three leading approaches to the Europeanization research—top-down, bottom-up, multidirectional—aimed at providing insights that might be useful in the task of designing the research. It opens with the overview of the most influential definitions of Europeanization in literature, followed by the description of three leading approaches to Europeanization research and concludes with the argument that some common challenges and pitfalls of research might be overcome by designing the research based on the multi-directional approach, using methodological frame and tools developed by researchers within that perspective
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