Course Syllabus

Course description  

The world's largest single market, a bloated bureaucratic mess, or the most successful peace project in European history? The EU has been called many things, and whether considered a success or not, it has shaped the European continent since the end of the Second World War. What started as six countries creating an integrated market for coal and steel, has turned into a union of 27 member states, affecting everything from consumer safety to common foreign and security policy. 

While still in the process of developing institutions and democratic legitimacy in the face of an ever-growing union, the 21st century has brought several exogenous crises forcing the communities to respond. The financial crisis of 2008, the migrant crises of 2015, the rise of populist movements, and issues with the rule of law have all served as catalysts for institutional change and greater public scrutiny of an increasingly important political union.

Most recently, the Russian invasion of Ukraine as well as doubts about transatlantic relationships have raised important questions on the importance of the European Union as a world actor on par with China and the United States in terms of international trade and resource procurement as well as defence and security cooperation.

Content

The course seeks to explore the following aspects of European politics:

• The history and development of the European Union
• How the concept of supranational democracy relates to the national democracies in the member states
• Who the main actors and driving forces are behind EU policies
• How the EU navigates through internal and external crises and dilemmas
• Why and how the EU handles continuous enlargement, and engagement with the immediate neighbourhood
• The role of the EU as a possible future power on the world stage

During this course we will trace the historical development of the European Union, from the early beginnings of the European Coal and Steel Community in the aftermath of the Second World War to the birth of the “European Union” with the Treaty of Maastricht in 1992. We will seek to understand the mechanisms behind the continuous expansion from the initial 6 members to the current 27, as well as the process of developing the largest single market in the world. The course further examines important discussions of national vs. supranational democracy, technocratic governance, conflicting legislation between the supranational and national spheres, and internal power struggles between the institutions of the Union. 

Furthermore, through the course we will examine several of the recent and ongoing crises facing European nations in the 21st century, how the EU seeks to solve them, as well as reflect on the future place for the EU as an actor on the grand stage of world politics. 

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 an overview of international relations from the EU and its selected member states' perspectives, and a particular understanding of the key issues on the agenda of the EU, including the Brexit, migration crisis, the struggles and strengthsof 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

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. 

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