Course Syllabus

Course description 

The European Union has been the most successful voluntary integration project since the Second World War. With the continent shattered and divided, Western European leaders sought to avoid further military conflicts and provide a solid platform for dialogue between European nation-states. The EU has succeeded remarkably, considering that it has marked the longest of era of peace in European history. 

While internally the EU attempts to strike a balance between continued enlargement and further institutional integration, recently it has been facing serious tensions caused by the global financial crisis, Brexit, rise of populist movements, problems with rule of law in some member states, COVID-19 pandemic, as well as Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Furthermore, discussions around cohesive climate policies raise many doubts as they are believed to be not enough by some and overly ambitious by others.

Externally, the EU is also struggling to agree on what its role must be in an increasingly multipolar world. The war in Ukraine and various presidential statements from the US has made it clear that Europe can no longer rely on others for providing security and deterrence. 

Content

The course seeks to answer the following questions:

• What is the European Union and how did it come to life?
• What are the mechanisms and actors behind its main policies?
• How does it relate to the concept of the nation-state?
• How do EU institutions navigate through internal and external challenges and crises?
• How does it deal with challenges in its neighbourhood, such as the war in Ukraine?
• How does the EU cooperate in other Western institutions, such as NATO?

The course traces the development of European integration from its post-war origins to the present day. It shows the decisive impact of the two world wars and the Cold War on the mindset of West European statesmen and the appeal the European Union has created since the 1989 democratic transition in Central and Eastern Europe. It seeks to understand how nation-states embarked on the ambitious track of creating a powerful intergovernmental body that would evolve into world's most complex international organisation with global ambitions.

The course examines EU's structures and major actors shaping its everyday agenda, as well as its greatest challenges such as the post-Brexit relations, growing populist movements, the migratory crisis, climate change and authoritarian regimes on its borders. It will apply a variety of methods and tools, including case studies, guest lectures with experts and simulation games related to events from the past, as well as those unfolding during the semester.

Learning Objectives

The students will:

• gain an understanding of what the European Union constitutes by studying the forces governing contemporary European politics and security, the competing interests influencing the policies of the European Union, the functioning of its institutions, decision-making processes, and the significance of the EU for European reconciliation and integration.
• gain a overview of international relations from the EU's and its selected member states' perspectives, and a particular understanding of the key issues on EU's agenda, including the Brexit, migration crisis, the struggles and strenghts of the EU as an international actor  and developments Europe's vicinity (e.g. threats posed by Russia in Eastern Europe & South Caucasus and growing presence of China).
• increase their ability to analyse and discuss complex issues with a diverse toolbox drawing from political studies, cultural studies, history, law and political economy.

Faculty

Alexander Hviid, MA in Social Science and MSc. in International Security & Law. Specialized in the overlap of international relations and international law in the study of armed conflict. Work experience at the Institute for Strategy at the Royal Danish Defence College and the Center for War Studies at University of Southern Denmark. With DIS since 2016.   

Readings

Readings will be a mixture of textbooks, news articles, legal analyses and video material distributed throughout the course. 

Expectations of the Students

Participation

The course consists of a series of lectures, guest lectures, a field study, study tours and manual simulation games. Attendance is mandatory. The readings provide the basis for class work, student presentations and discussion in each lecture. 

Manual simulations

The course includes manual simulation games, in which students “representing” decision makers (EU founding fathers and/or member states, key EU institutions and other actors in international politics) will negotiate issues following outlays as well as abstractions of the negotiation format of the EU Council, European Council and high level summits.

Purpose: To get in-depth knowledge of issues currently topping the EU agenda and experience how negotiations take place during the EU Council meetings or the European Council summits.

Academic Regulations  

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on: 

• Course Enrollment and Grading
• Academic Expectations and Honor Code

DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org