Description
What is the European Union (EU)? How and why was it created? How are decisions taken at the EU level? What are the tasks of key EU institutions? Can the EU respond effectively to crises? Why has European integration become contested in the public domain? Is the EU in decline? Engaging with these questions, the course covers the history, institutional framework and main theories explaining the development of European integration. It introduces students to the key internal and external policies of the EU and its responses to the euro and refugee crises, as well as the ongoing Ukraine crisis. The EU has been characterized by a complex institutional setup, seemingly burdensome decision-making, deficits in democratic accountability and legitimacy and detachment from European citizens, which have become topics of reoccurring debates. To help students understand these debates, the purpose of the course is to situate them in a historical, theoretical, and institutional context.
The course is organised around three main themes. First, students will learn about the history of European integration and discover the role of different EU institutions, such as the European Commission, the European Parliament, or the Council of the EU. Second, the lectures will focus on some of the most disputed policy areas in the EU today, such as economic governance, migration and asylum, and foreign policy. Third, we will discuss the main theories of European integration and how they can explain decision-making processes.
The course also includes academic skills work groups that focus on improving students’ ability to understand, summarise, and critically analyse political science research by reviewing and critically assessing several articles focused on the topic of EU foreign policy. During work group sessions, students will work collectively to review articles and present their findings to class through group presentations. At the same time, as these texts bear on certain topics covered in the lectures, engaging with these texts during the work group sessions and through individual and group assignments will help deepen students’ understanding and knowledge of these topics.
Course Objectives
Objective 1: Provide a systematic overview of the history of European integration, the functioning of EU institutions, and decision-making modes in different policy areas.
Objective 2: Provide a basic introduction to key concepts and theories in European integration and how they can be applied.
Objective 3: Familiarize students with concrete policy debates in response to recent crises in EU politics.
Objective 4: Help students further develop the skills to analyse and evaluate multiple academic texts.
Objective 5: Help students further develop the skills to present their findings both orally (by giving a presentation) and in writing (through two assignments).
Schedule
The timetables are available through MyTimetable (see the button in the upper right corner).
Teaching method
This course has 8 EC, which correspond to 244 study hours. There are 12 live lectures (equivalent to 24 hours in total) and 6 workgroup group sessions (equivalent to 12 hours in total). The remaining 208 hours should be spent completing the workgroup assignments and self-study.
Exchange students take this course for 5 EC and do not follow the working groups.
Assessment Method
60% written exam: 100% multiple choice (based on lectures and readings)
40% workgroup assignments and participation The final grade for the work groups is the weighted average of a group project, including a presentation and a written assignment (40% of the grade), an individual written assignment (50% of the grade), and a participation grade (counting for 10% of the grade).
Exchange students complete the course with a final exam worth 100% of the final course grade.
Resit, review & feedback
The time and location of inspection and debriefing of the exam will be announced via Brightspace no later than the publication of the grades.
Reading list
- Nugent, N (2017) The Government and Politics of the European Union, Palgrave Macmillan, 8th Edition [selected chapters].
Registration
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website (https://www.student.universiteitleiden.nl/en/your-study-programme/courses-and-exams/enrolment/social-and-behavioural-sciences/international-relations-and-organisations-bsc?cd=international-relations-and-organisations-bsc&cf=social-and-behavioural-sciences#tab-1).
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer(s) (listed in the right information bar). For questions about enrolment, contact the Student Services Centre: ssc@leiden.edu.