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 detachment from European citizens, which have become topics of recurrent public debates. To help students understand such 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 foreign policy, economic governance, or migration and asylum. Third, we will discuss the main theories of European integration and how they can explain decision-making processes.
The course also includes academic skills workgroups that focus on improving students’ ability to understand, summarise, and critically analyse political science research by examining several articles focused on the topic of EU foreign policy. During workgroup sessions, students will collaborate to review articles and present their findings in class through group presentations. At the same time, as the texts bear on certain topics covered in the lectures, engaging with the articles during the workgroups and through through individual and group 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).
Mode of Instruction
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.
Assessment Method
60% written exam
o 100% multiple choice (based on lectures and readings)40% workgroup assignments and participation
o 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).
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].
A new edition of this textbook is expected in early 2025. If the new edition becomes available before 1 February, students will be notified accordingly.
Registration
See 'Practical Information'
Timetable
See 'MyTimetable'
Contact
Dr. A. Akbik, a.akbik@fsw.leidenuniv.nl
T.E.C. Scarff MSc, t.e.c.scarff@fsw.leidenuniv.nl