Prospectus

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The European Union Today

Course
2013-2014

Admission requirements

Minimaal BSA (40 ects).

Description

Gaining knowledge is one thing, putting that knowledge to good use is quite another. The Minor EU-Studies can only be succesful when students learn to put their knowledge to good use by sharing it with others. The purpose of this course is to do precisely that. Students are required to investigate current EU-related issues, write and present a position paper, and engage in lively debates with one another.
The course teaches students how to do research, opinionate and debate, and to write down and present their findings. In doing so, the students will require more in-depth understanding of the main challenges currently facing the European Union. While building on the theoretical information provided in the Law and Institutions of the European Union-course, it allows students to focus on current issues.

Course objectives

  • To learn how to find relevant up-to-date (including digitalized) material (books, articles, working papers, documents)

  • To learn the basics of investigating a policy issue (e.g. how to formulate a research question and how to answer it)

  • To learn to write a position and policy paper

  • To learn how to debate and discuss current issues of EU interest

Timetable

See website.

Mode of instruction

Tutorials where presence and participation is required.

Assessment method

The final mark will be a combination of the following notes obtained during the classes, weighted in the following way:

  • General class participation (20%)

  • The position paper (20%)

  • The policy paper (60%)

Blackboard

Yes, see the site.

Reading list

  • Hubert Zimmerman and Andres Dür (eds), Key controversies in European Integration (Palgrave Macmillan, 2010).

Registration

Through uSis.

Contact information

Dhr. Dr. D.M. Oude Nijhuis