This collection of articles combines a set of works that study the contribution of transport infrastructure to the process of state building in different countries in Western and Central Europe. The focus and the themes treated vary, but have two common denominators: firstly, they are based on either completely original, or previously little-used, primary sources; and secondly, each work reveals new ways of interpreting how transport networks have shaped the territories into which they were introduced. Each article is an example of the wealth of potential approaches available and also helps us to interpret the processes involved in state building, which are a necessary precedent to European Integration (EI). To put the seven works that make up this special issue into context, I shall start this introduction by examining three aspects that complement them. I shall firstly clarify what we mean by EI. Secondly, I shall examine whether EI processes existed prior to the creation of the institutions that were set up after World War II to promote integration. Then, thirdly, and finally, based on the previous analyses, I shall look at the emergence of a railway network in Europe and the role that the European states played in this process. The fourth section will present the articles.

中文翻译：

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从国家建设到欧洲一体化：铁路网在欧洲领土一体化中的作用，1850-2020

这一系列文章结合了一组研究交通基础设施对西欧和中欧不同国家的国家建设过程的贡献的作品。处理的重点和主题各不相同，但有两个共同点：首先，它们基于完全原创或以前很少使用的主要来源；其次，每件作品都揭示了解释交通网络如何塑造它们被引入的地区的新方法。每篇文章都是可用的大量潜在方法的示例，还帮助我们解释国家建设所涉及的过程，这是欧洲一体化 (EI) 的必要先例。将构成本期特刊的七部作品置于语境中，我将通过研究补充它们的三个方面来开始这个介绍。我将首先澄清我们所说的EI是什么意思。其次，我将研究在二战后为促进一体化而建立的机构创建之前是否存在 EI 流程。然后，第三，最后，基于前面的分析，我将看看欧洲铁路网络的出现以及欧洲国家在这个过程中所扮演的角色。第四部分将介绍文章。我将研究欧洲铁路网络的出现以及欧洲国家在此过程中所扮演的角色。第四部分将介绍文章。我将研究欧洲铁路网络的出现以及欧洲国家在此过程中所扮演的角色。第四部分将介绍文章。