Department of European Studies & Modern Languages, Unit Catalogue 2007/08 |
EU50508 European political economy |
| Credits: 6 |
| Level: Masters |
| Semester: 1 |
| Assessment: ES100 |
| Requisites: |
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Aims: The course is meant to provide an overview of the process of European Integration from the distinct point of view of the political economy. The theoretical background in which the course is set is represented by the traditional political scientists' definition of political economy, mainly deriving from the tradition of International Relations and related theories of European integration. European integration and policies will be therefore assessed in the light of the different interpretative and heuristic tools provided by the theories analysed with a special attention towards the explanation of change in the adoption of policy from the competing theoretical perspectives focusing on institutions, economic interests and ideological paradigms. The policies considered rage from trade policy, to EMU and to unemployment and migratory policies.
Learning Outcomes: Students successfully completing this unit will have achieved the following: 1. an understanding of different theoretical approaches to European Political Economy; 2. a knowledge and understanding of globalisation and its different definitions; 3. a more in-depth knowledge of a specific issue area within EPE. Skills: The skills the unit will develop are: * Advanced research skills in identifying, locating and exploiting a wade 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 and seminars cover: * European Political Economy at the crossroads between economics and politics * European Monetary Union: what is it and how did it happen? * The ECB between growth and stability * EMU and the European Employment Strategy Employment Policies in the EU * The progress towards the social dimension in Europe * Industrial policy in the EU@ the quest for competitiveness * Trade and the European Union * US and EU Trade * Globalisation and the impact on the labour markets * Globalisation the new global division of labour and European migratory policy. |