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PL30864: Europe in global politics

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2014/5
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
Further information on credits Credits: 6
Further information on unit levels Level: Honours (FHEQ level 6)
Further information on teaching periods Period: Semester 1
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: CW 33%, ES 67%
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Coursework (CW 33%)
  • Essay (ES 67%)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites: Before taking this unit you must take PL20724
Further information on descriptions Description: Aims:
This unit will examine the emergence of the European Union as an international actor in global politics. It is intended to develop substantive knowledge of the EU's global agency across time and across the international political system, building on the second year unit PL20724. The unit will:
* Critically explore the range of theories and perspectives used in the study of the European Union as a global actor.
* Critically examine the range of policies the European Union pursues in global politics.
* Examine the political dynamics and implications of the EU's global role from the perspectives of the Member States.
* Explore normative and strategic arguments about the European Union as a global actor.
* Analyse how the development of Europe's global role is related to international events, globalisation and European integration processes.

Learning Outcomes:
Students who successfully complete this unit should be able to:
* Analyse a range of theories and perspectives that can be applied to the study of the international role of the European Union.
* Demonstrate an advanced empirical understanding of the EU as a global actor and the policies and strategies it pursues in global politics.
* Explain the impact of the EU's global role on the foreign policies of Member States.
* Demonstrate a good knowledge of the key policy debates about the EU's global role and how they relate to wider political debates about European integration.

Skills:
Skills in critical analysis, conceptual and theoretical thinking, precision in the use of written and spoken language, exercise of independent judgement, reasoned argument, effective communication, teamwork and planning/conduct/reporting of non-quantitative research are developed and assessed in this unit.

Content:
Lectures (8x2hrs) and seminars ( 4x1hr) will cover the following topics:
* Introduction: Contending approaches to the study of the EU's international role
* The EU as a global power: Actor and instruments
* Foreign Economic Policy: Europe as a Global Trading Power
* EU foreign policy and the Member States
* Beyond Enlargement: The European Neighbourhood Policy
* Norms and values in EU foreign policy: Human rights and democracy promotion
* EU Development Policy
* The EU as a military power: A contradiction in terms?
* The EU as an International Environmental Actor
The core textbook to be used on this unit is C. Hill and M. Smith, eds. (2011), The European Union and International Relations (Oxford University Press).
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

PL30864 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Economics
  • UHES-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Economics and Politics (Year 3)
  • UHES-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Economics and Politics with Year long work placement (Year 4)
Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
  • UHPL-AYB13 : BA(Hons) French and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB12 : BA(Hons) German and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB16 : BA(Hons) Italian ab inito and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB14 : BA(Hons) Italian and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB08 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (French and ab initio Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB09 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (French and ab initio Russian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB05 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (French and German) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB04 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (French and Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB18 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (French and Spanish) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB06 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (German and ab initio Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB07 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (German and ab initio Russian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB02 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (German and Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB23 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (German and Spanish) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB20 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (Spanish and ab initio Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB22 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (Spanish and ab initio Russian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB19 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (Spanish and Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AFB30 : BSc(Hons) Politics and International Relations (Year 3)
  • UHPL-AAB30 : BSc(Hons) Politics and International Relations with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AKB30 : BSc(Hons) Politics and International Relations with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Politics with Economics (Year 3)
  • UHPL-AAB10 : BSc(Hons) Politics with Economics with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Politics with Economics with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AFB29 : BSc(Hons) Politics with International Relations (Year 3)
  • UHPL-AAB29 : BSc(Hons) Politics with International Relations with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AKB29 : BSc(Hons) Politics with International Relations with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB15 : BA(Hons) Russian ab inito and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB17 : BA(Hons) Spanish and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 4)

Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2014/15 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2015/16 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2014/15.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.