Politics in the EU - Einzelansicht

Methodology

We will have lectures, guest talks, a workshop and simulation, presentation and debate on the future of the European Union.

Assessment

Weekly press digest and active participation (25% of the final grade): The weekly press digest should take max. 5 minutes covering high-quality foreign sources of information. The students may choose between varieties of presentation techniques: PPT-presentations, initiate discussions, show short films etc.

Take-home-paper (35% of the final grade): The take-home-paper will address a topical question. The paper should be innovative and specific and must have a maximum of 1000 words. It is due 1July 2018 (electronic word version must be submitted to the academic assistant by email: timo.huelsduenker@stud.uni-due.de).

Article review (40% of the final grade): The paper must have a maximum of 1500 words. The student chooses two academic articles on a particular topic from the recommended reading of the course outline to review critically. The written assignment should be written in an academic style, be balanced and due preferably during the last session of the course and at the latest 30 September 2018.

Peterson, J. and M. Shackleton (2012) (eds.) The Institutions of the European Union, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

The aim of understanding Politics of the European Union is linked to its complex governance structure. It presents the EU as an emerging "political system", in which the government, policies and the politics of the system are inextricably linked. It looks at the way the EU is analyzed and studied and provides comprehensive coverage of EU politics and a method of conceptualizing the EU comparatively. The course will confront students with the latest academic findings in the field of EU governance.

No single book is exactly coterminous with the syllabus. But the following are useful background readings recommended for the preparation of the seminar: 

Peterson, J. and M. Shackleton (2012) (eds.) The Institutions of the European Union, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

 Class discussion will be more interesting if we are all up-to-date on EU current events.