Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences · Political Science and International Relations (English) · Undergraduate
Course Objective
The aim of this course is to provide non-specialist students with a self-contained course on post-World War II European Integration and to provide them with a basic guide to the European Union’s structures and policies while at the same time serving as a starting point for those who intend to go on to more advanced studies in this field.
Course Content
This is an introductory course that examines the origins and development of the European Union. It briefly examines some of the leading theories of European integration. Then it focuses on the institutional structure which these processes have produced as well as at a number of major policy areas. Finally, the course analyzes debates on the future of the EU with a focus on democracy deficit, the treaty reform, enlargement and Brexit.
Required Resources
McCormick, John (2020) Understanding the European Union: A Concise Introduction, 8th edition, Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Recommended Resources
Nelsen, B.F. and Stubb, A. (2014) The European Union: Readings on the Theory and Practice of European Integration, London: Palgrave
van Middelaar, L. (2013) The Passage to Europe: How a Continent Became a Union, New Haven and London: Yale University Press
Garton Ash, T. (2012) The Crisis of Europe: How the Union Came Together and Why It’s Falling Apart, Foreign Affairs, (91)5, pp. 2-15.
Moravcsik, A. (2020) Why Europe Wins, Foreign Policy, 24 September, https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/09/24/euroskeptic-europe-covid-19-trump-russia-migration/
Moravcsik, A. (2017) Europe Is Still a Superpower, Foreign Policy, 13 April, http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/04/13/europe-is-still-a-superpower/
Course Learning Outcomes
- recall the historical evolution of European Integration as well as of the key issues in considering future such integration
- name the main institutions of the EU and to explain the role of each institution in the policy-making process
- identify and contrast the key theories that have been advanced to explain European integration
- explain the main economic and social policies which have been developed at the EU level.
- relate European integration and its impact on both member and non-member states in Europe and the rest of the world.
Core Area Distribution
Teaching Methods
Assessment & Evaluation
ECTS / Workload
| Activity | Quantity | Duration (h) | Total Workload |
|---|---|---|---|
| Course Duration (Including Exam Week) | 15 | 3 | 45 |
| Out of Class Study Period | 15 | 5 | 75 |
| Midterm | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Quiz | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| Assignment | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Practice | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Final | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Course Schedule
| Week | Subject | Preparation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction | See syllabus uploaded to IZU Campus Information System |
| 2 | The Idea of Europe and European Identity | . |
| 3 | What is the European Union? and Key Theories of European Integration | . |
| 4 | The Evolution of the EU - I | . |
| 5 | The Evolution of the EU - II | . |
| 6 | The Institutions of the EU - I | . |
| 7 | The Institutions of the EU - II | . |
| 8 | Mid-term Exam | . |
| 9 | The Institutions of the EU - III | . |
| 10 | The EU and its Member States | . |
| 11 | The EU Policy Process and Decision Making in the EU | . |
| 12 | The EU, Democracy and its Citizens | . |
| 13 | Key Policies of the EU - I | . |
| 14 | Key Policies of the EU - II | . |
| 15 | Key Policies of the EU - III | . |
| 16 | The European Union: Success or Failure? | . |