Admission Requirements
Only students of the Advanced MSc International Relations and Diplomacy programme can take this course.
Description
The course gives an overview of European foreign policy and is aimed at deepening participants’ understanding of the main issues in European foreign policy with a focus on security-related and specific strategic issues in Europe such as defence, migration and enlargement.
The course principally focuses on the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP); the relationship between the EU and NATO and NATO’s role in a changing European security landscape; and European institutions’ responses to main contemporary security challenges. The course combines conceptual and theoretical approaches to international and European security with practical insights on contemporary foreign policy questions. It provides students with the opportunity to engage with main scholarly literature and key debates surrounding the European Union as a foreign policy actor.
Why this course?
The global world order is in transition and it is becoming increasingly volatile. In recent decades, the foundations of liberal democracy as well as the pillars of the international liberal multilateral order have come under considerable strain. In the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the era of multilateralism and rules-based international order have been challenged by various powers that seek to advance in their words, a ‘multipolar’ world as an alternative to the post-WWII international order of multilateralism. Rising competing powers in global affairs and their conflictual approach to international relations, have increasingly compelled the EU to adapt its foreign policy instruments, policies and engagement tools with the world. On the other hand, the EU has been facing a plethora of internal challenges such as migration, declining commitment to liberal democracy in some Member states, disinformation to name a few. These internal and external constraints have raised existential concerns about the EU’s relevance and its ability to act in more complex and volatile external environments. These changing contexts and dynamics demand greater knowledge and critical thinking on the effectiveness of the EU’s foreign policy instruments and policies for shaping and responding to its rapidly changing external environment.
To this end, the course will provide students with a thorough understanding of the main actors, decision-making processes, instruments and policies of the Union for addressing new realities in the EU’s foreign policy. It will introduce students to the way the EU decides, the evolution of its foreign, security and defence policies and key challenges around the EU’s ability to perform a coherent and effective role in the world. In doing so the course supports participants in the further development of their academic and practical skills, including especially their presentation and public speaking skills, academic reasoning, writing and designing policy responses to face challenges to European diplomacy, foreign and security policy.
The course is structured in two broad parts:
The first part sets the fundamentals of European foreign policy. Here, we will first examine the frameworks and trajectories of EU foreign policy. The purpose in the first part of the course is:
understanding changing security dynamics in Europe and main European institutions’ approaches to these changes;
mapping the actors who practise EU foreign policy and the institutions through which they act;
understanding the making over time of the institutional and legal, political and material frameworks of action within which actors of EU foreign policy operate today;
understanding scholarship that aims to conceptualise and explain EU foreign policy.
The second part analyses the main foreign policy challenges the EU is facing. Here, we will discuss hot topics that are on the EU’s agenda: democracy promotion, the EU’s engagement with the Eastern Neighbourhood, enlargement, NATO-EU relations, collective self-defence and migration. These themes will be illustrated through case studies and discussed in light of hot topics that hit the headlines in Brussels. The purpose in this second part is:
learning and critically analyzing major contemporary foreign policy issues that are high on the EU’s agenda;
applying theoretical knowledge to the distinct empirical realities.
Course Objectives
Upon successful completion of the course participants will have:
developed their empirical and analytical grasp of the core contemporary aspects of European foreign policy;
mastered the evolution and operation of European foreign policy, including the EU’s main tools and decision-making processes in responding to the new challenges in a changing world;
broadened their understandings of the main foreign policy challenges the European Union is facing today with a focus on great power rivalry, enlargement, collective self-defence and migration;
advanced their capacity to critically reflect upon problems related to European foreign and security policies, and engage with the academic literature in the topics examined during the course;
enhanced practical skills, including drafting clear, informative and effective policy brief; oral presentation, public speaking and research.
Students are highly recommended to follow closely and regularly current affairs in European politics and international affairs.
Timetable
The timetable will be displayed on the Brightspace and on the page of MIRD. On the right-hand side of the programme front page of the studyguide you will find a link to the online timetables.
Mode of Instruction
The course is made up of 7 sessions of two hours. The course is designed as a highly dynamic and participatory course. Depending on the number of students attending this course, each session will combine theory (lecture) and practice (in-class discussions, group exercises, student presentations, etc.). Guest lectures on topical issues and encounters with security practitioners might be organised.
Active participation in lectures, discussions and exercises is required in order to obtain a grade. One lecture may be missed. Being absent more than once without acceptable excuse may likely lead to expulsion from the course.
The total study load for this course is 140 hours, consisting of:
14 hours for attending lectures
126 hours studying the compulsory literature, working on assignments and preparing in-class activities/exercises in advance
Assessment method
Attendance and participation (pass/fail)
In-class presentation (30%)
Submission of one mid-term assignment (30%)
Final project (40%)
You can find more information about the assignments, including details about submission deadlines, on Brightspace.
Failed partial grades or components should be compensated by passed partial grades or components. The calculated grade must be at least 5.50 to pass the course. It is not possible to re-sit a partial grade or component once you have passed the course.
Passed partial grades obtained in the academic year 2024-2025 remain valid during the academic year 2025-2026.
Should a student fail the overall course, the student can complete the course in the next academic year. In cases of exceptional circumstances, a student may apply to the board of examiners for a resit to complete the course in the same academic year
Reading list
The reading list will be available on Brightspace one week before the starting date.
Registration
The programme will register the students in Usis based on the group division. Use Brightspace for course information.
Contact
Dr. Seda Gürkan, Assistant Professor in European Approaches to Security, Diplomacy and Global Affairs. s.gurkan@fgga.leidenuniv.nl
Remarks
This course is an elective designed for MIRD students.
This elective is conditional on at least 5 students registering for this course.
Second year students have priority for the registration to this course.
This is an intensive course which will take place during January and the first week of February.