Department of European Studies & Modern Languages, Unit Catalogue 2007/08 |
EU50606 The European Union's common foreign and security policy |
| Credits: 6 |
| Level: Masters |
| Semester: 2 |
| Assessment: ES100 |
| Requisites: |
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Aims: This unit aims to:
* Identify and analyse the main currents in the academic and policy debate on the growing impact of the European Union as an international actor; * Study and assess the resources, strengths and weaknesses of the European Union's CFSP; * Examine the EU's gradual evolution from a regional trading bloc to a political project with global reach, including the political and institutional bases of the European integration project as it relates to CFSP; * Offer a number of case studies of the EU's approach to and role in the great issues of international relations in the early twenty-first century. It will analyse the EU's preference for the deployment of "soft" diplomatic instruments (commercial agreements, economic and development aid, political pressures, promise of eventual membership) and its apparent reluctance to develop in any serious way more muscular, military instruments akin to those deployed by the US; * Develop skills in comparative political analysis, in preparing briefing papers on case studies, and in conducting seminars. Learning Outcomes: Students who complete the unit successfully will be able to demonstrate that they: * Have acquired knowledge of the key concepts in the study, understanding, and analysis of CFSP; * Are aware of major academic and policy debates about the nature of contemporary political processes related to CFSP; * Can apply this knowledge and awareness to a wide range of CFSP-related issues and write sensibly and critically about them. 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: * General Introduction and Orientation * The Institutional Underpinnings of CFSP * From CFSP to ESDP: integrating the defence dimension * The European Convention: Prospects for reforming the CFSP System * The EU and the Balkans: Baptism by Fire * The EU and the Middle East Peace Process: Influence or Irrelevance? * The EU and Russia: embracing the bear? * Evaluating the impact of the CFSP. |