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Department of European Studies & Modern Languages, Unit Catalogue 2010/11


EU50686: Europe in global politics

Click here for further information Credits: 6
Click here for further information Level: Masters
Click here for further information Period: This unit is available in...
Semester 2
Click here for further information Assessment: CW 100%
Click here for further informationSupplementary Assessment: Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Click here for further information Requisites:
Click here for further information Description: Aims:
This unit aims to:
* Give a critical understanding in the range of theories and perspectives used in the study of the global role of the European Union.
* To develop substantive knowledge on the range of policies developed by the EC/EU that encompass the EU's external relations, development policy and foreign, internal and external security policies.
* The critically assess the developing global role of the EU both across time and across both the international political and international economic systems.
* Establish a critical appreciation of how the EU has developed an international role and how this development has been related to international events and integration processes.

Learning Outcomes:
Students who complete the unit successfully will be able to demonstrate that they:
* Can analyse a range of theories and perspectives that can be applied to the study of the international role of the European Union.
* Critically assess the utility of different approaches to the study of the foreign and security policy-making and processes of the European Union.
* Give a developed critical understanding of how European Union has developed and extended its presence in the international economic and political system.
* Select and apply concepts and theories on the EU's international role to specific research problems, and recognise the basic costs and benefits of those selections.

Skills:
The key skills the unit will hone and further develop are:
* Advanced research skills in identifying, locating and exploiting a wide range of descriptive, evaluative and theoretical literature.
* Intellectual skills of conceptual, original and independent thinking, critical analysis, synthesis and reasoned argument.
* Skills of assessment and judgement in relation to the soundness of competing arguments and scenarios, including the reporting and assessing of qualitative and quantitative data.
* Generic and transferable skills related to the oral and written presentation of ideas.
* Skills of self-direction, self-evaluation and time management.

Content:
LECTURES
1: The study of the international role of the European Union in historical perspective
2: The politics and policies of the foreign policies of the EU: actors and processes
3: Making sense of Europe's Global Role: Contending approaches
4: Foreign Economic Policy: The substantive foreign policy?
5: Developing a Foreign Policy: EPC to CFSP
6: A European defence
7: European Homeland Security
8: Europe as an international environmental actor
9: Norms and values in European foreign policy
10: A European Foreign Policy Analysis?
SEMINARS
1: European foreign policy analysis (linked to lectures 1-3)
2: Europe in the international political economy (linked to lecture 4)
3: Case study 1: The European Neighbourhood Policy (linked to lectures 4-6)
4: Case study 2: Transatlantic relations (connected to lectures 6- 7).
NB. Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.