Introduction
This seminar deals with the impact of the European Union (EU) on public policies in EU member-states (and beyond). The influence of the EU on policy-making and implementation at the national level is ever-growing across a wide range of policy fields. The domestic adaptation to European pressures has been, however, highly uneven and has given rise to lively debates on when and how Europe matters. The objectives of the seminar are to provide a comprehensive understanding of the impact of the EU on policy change, and to critically discuss the research strategies used in studies of Europeanization.
Description
What is the influence of the EU on public policies at the national level? How is policy-making and implementation in the member-states affected by the EU? Can the member-states resist Europeanization? These are the main questions on which the course will focus.
The seminar will cover the process of Europeanization in various policy fields – e.g. economic and monetary policy, social policy and employment, environment, transport, policy towards minorities – but cross-cutting issues like transposition and implementation of EU legislation will also be discussed.
Attention will be directed towards the existing member-states (with an emphasis on the Netherlands, the UK, Germany, the Scandinavian countries) but we will also look at the influence of the EU beyond its borders.
The course will present the great diversity of theoretical approaches used in research on how the EU matters. It will discuss in detail the contributions and shortcoming of the current theories of Europeanization.
Lecturer
Dr. Dimiter Toshkov
Teaching format
The seminar will be based on a mix of lecture and discussion. All students are expected to attend, to read the assigned literature prior to the sessions, and to contribute significantly to the discussions.
Course Material
The seminar is designed for students who already have a basic knowledge of the European Union. The latest editions of the volumes by Neil Nugent (The Government and Politics of the European Union) and Simon Hix (The Political System of the European Union) are recommended background readings.
The literature for the course will comprise of academic articles (approximately two per session), to be announced separately.
Examination
The assessment will be based on a research paper that each student will have to write.
Schedule
5/11 t/m 17/12 every Friday 13-15 hrs
Room: 5/11: 1A24, 12/11: OA33, 19/11 and 26/11: 1A33, 3/12: 1A47, 10/12 and 17/12: 1A15
October 2010