Department of European Studies & Modern Languages, Unit Catalogue 2007/08 |
EU50686 Europe in global politics |
| Credits: 6 |
| Level: Masters |
| Semester: 2 |
| Assessment: ES100 |
| Requisites: |
|
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). |