The aim of this article is to analyse sociological approaches focusing on the European integration process. The objective is to situate these approaches in relation to the epistemological backgrounds of other conceptual frameworks, and to point out their strengths and limitations. This is done in three steps. The first part of the article looks at the emergence and the definition of sociological approaches to European integration and the second will look more closely at the different research clusters which identify with a sociological tradition. Finally, the article will look at the limits of sociological approaches and suggest some avenues for further research.