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Functionalism is a Theory Of International Relations that arose principally from the experience of European Integration . Rather than the Self-interest of Nation-states that Realists see as a motivating factor, functionalists focus on common interests and needs shared by states. According to functionalism, international Integration - the collective governance and interdependence between states - develops its own internal dynamic as states integrate in limited functional, technical, and/or economic areas. The partially integrated states then experience increasing momentum for further rounds of integration in related areas. This " Invisible Hand " of integration phenomenon is termed "spill-over." Although integration can be resisted, it becomes harder to stop integration's reach as it progresses. There are two kinds of spillover: functional and political. Functional spillover is the interconnection of various ''economic'' sectors or issue-areas, and the integration in one policy-area spilling over into others. Political spillover is the creation of supranational governance models, as far-reaching as the European Union , or as voluntary as the United Nations . NEOFUNCTIONALISM See Also: Neofunctionalism Neofunctionalism is a theory of regional integration, building on the work of David Mitrany. One of its protagonists was Ernst B. Haas, a US-political scientist. Jean Monnet's approach to European integration, which aimed at integrating individual sectors in hopes of achieving spill-over effects to further the process of integration, is said to have followed the neofunctional school's tack. Unlike previous theories of integration, neofunctionalism was non-normative and tried to describe and explain the process of regional integration based on empirical data. Integration was regarded as an inevitable process, rather than a desirable state of affairs that could be introduced by the political or technocratic elites of the involved states' societies. Its strength however was also its weakness: While it understood that regional integration is only feasible as an incremental process, its conception of integration as a linear process made the explanation of setbacks impossible. COMPARING FUNCTIONALISM TO REALISM John McCormick compares functionalism's fundamental principles with realism's thus: FURTHER READING
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