Mediating Transatlantic Interests and Advancing European Integration: Jean Monnet’s Networking Leadership

Abstract

This study examines Jean Monnet’s strategic approach to European integration, focusing on the pivotal role of communication among key actors. By analyzing the reciprocal exchange of ideas and the coordination of strategies between Monnet and American elites, this article demonstrates how the frameworks and ideas underpinning European integration were conceived and developed. While existing scholarship predominantly focuses on Monnet’s network activities during the 1950s, this study broadens its scope to explore his engagements with American counterparts as early as the 1920s. Through a comprehensive analysis of Monnet’s dialogues with U.S. policymakers and intellectuals from the 1920s to the 1950s, this research highlights that meaningful progress toward peace and regional integration depended on effective communication, the recognition of divergent perspectives, and skillful conflict management. Ultimately, the study argues that regional cooperation critically relies on the establishment of communication channels that align shared interests at higher political levels, sustain political momentum, and foster transnational networks among influential leaders.