University of the West of England
MODULE SPECIFICATION
(Revised November 2002)
Code: UPPNHA-30-2 Title: Politics of European Integration Version: 2
Level: 2 UWE credit rating: 30 ECTS credit rating: 15
Module type: Standard
Owning Faculty: Social Sciences and Humanities Field: Politics
Valid from: September 2008 Discontinued from:
Contributes towards: Awards up to BA(Hons)
Pre-requisites: : UPPNFA-30-1 Democracy and Dictatorship or
UPPNFB-30-1 Politics beyond the Nation State or
UPPNFC-30-1 Politics and the Media: An Introduction or
UPPNFD-30-1 Foreign Policy or
equivalent
Co-requisites: None
Excluded combinations: UNPO12S3
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the module students should be able to (relevant assessment in parentheses) :
1. Demonstrate knowledge of the historical development of European integration since the 1950s. (examination & essay)
2. Identify the main issues and institutional features of the political system of today’s European Union. (presentation, examination & essay)
3. Recognise the sources and the consequences of political and institutional change in the political system of the EU. (examination & essay)
4. Explain the sources and consequences of the main issues associated with a foreign and security policy within the EU. (simulation game, examination & essay)
5. Recognise the relevance of integration theory in explaining the processes at hand. (examination & essay)
6. Demonstrate familiarity with texts in the relevant literature in the field. (examination & essay)
7. Compare and contrast the validity of different arguments available in the relevant literature. (examination & essay)
8. Evaluate the role and significance of British membership within the EU. (examination & essay)
9. Critically evaluate arguments for and against further European integration. (presentation, examination & essay)
Syllabus outline:
Lecture Topics
Note: A lecture topic could take more than one lecture hour.
A. Formation and Current Function of the EU
1. Introduction to the course and study techniques
What is the EU? How is Europe integrating?
2. From six to nine to twelve to fifteen.....
3. From a Customs Union to a Single Market to the free movement of capital, goods and labour.
4. The development of European Institutions.
5. Deepening versus widening?
6. New members in Central and Eastern Europe: a political decision?
B. Theories of European Integration
1. Why more than one theory?
Levels of relevance: The global processes, institutional change and resource dependence.
2. Transnational institutions to the rescue: Functionalism & Neo-functionalism.
3. The return of the nation state: Intergovernmentalism.
4. An idealist's solution: Federalism.
5. Towards collective decision making: A Consociationalist Europe?
C. The European Policy Cycle and the Formation of EU policies
1. The three pillars. Common foreign and security policy (CFSP).
2. Common monetary policy and EMU.
3. Common agricultural (CAP) and Cohesion Policies.
4. Environmental and Employment policies.
D THE SUB-STATE LEVEL
1. 'A region is defined by the extent of its integration' (Bernstain, 1970).
2. Regions as an economic space: The Regional Milieu.
3. Contesting nation states.
4. The role of regional policies
E. The European Millennium?
1. A Common currency, a common government?
2. Multi-level governance: The rise of sub-state nations?
3. The limits of Europe: From Atlantic to the Urals?
4. Britain with Europe or on the side of Europe?
Seminars
I. Introduction,
II. The relevance of European Integration as a subject of inquiry.
III. European Integration During the Cold War
IV. The Creation of Community
V. The Role of the UK & EFTA
VI. The European Commission as an agenda setter
VII. The European Parliament & the democratic deficit
VIII. The Council of the EU and the role of the nation states
XI. Theories of Integration
X. Neofunctionalism
XI. Federalism
XII. Consociational theory
XIII. The European Policy Cycle
XIV. The role if interest intermediation
XV. The EMU and Economic Integration.
XVI. The future of the British pound (£)
XVII. Foreign Policy within the EU.
XVIII. Security policy without a political command structure?
XIX. Multi-Level Governance and Sub-State Actors
XX. Simulation Game: Foreign Policy Decision (2 hours)
XXI. Course Revision.
Teaching and learning methods:
Lectures are provided weekly supplemented by weekly seminars for the duration of the academic year. Blackboard is employed in directing students to sources of information. Lecture notes are made available on line. Lectures and seminars roughly correspond in topic. A ten minute presentation is expected of students during one of the seminars. They are encouraged to use any audio-visual or other aids that can enhance their presentation. The use of overhead projector slides and a photocopied summary of main points is strongly encouraged. In a two hour seminar meeting, students will take part in a role simulation game. This entails making a contemporary foreign policy decision by participants being assigned country or institutional roles on a foreign policy issue prominent in the media. Students deliver their second assessed presentation at this event.
Indicative sources:
I. Primary Texts
Chrysochoou, D. Theorizing European Integration. (London: Sage, 2001)
Dicken, P. Global Shift: Transforming the World Economy. (London: Sage, 1998)
Dinan, D. Europe Recast: A History of European Union. (Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan, 2004)
George, S. Bache I. Politics in the European Union. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001)
Keating, M. and Loughlin, J. eds. The Political Economy of Regionalism. (London: Frank Cass, 1997).
McCormic, John The European Union: Politics and Policies 2nd edition. (Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press, 1999).
Nugent, Neil The Government and Politics of the European Union. Fifth edition. (London: MacMillan Press Ltd, 2003)
Peterson, J. & Shackleton, M. The Institutions of the European Union. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002)
Richardson, Jeremy ed. European Union: Power and Policy Making. (London: Routledge 1996).
Rosamond, B. Theories of European Integration. (London: Macmillan, 2000)
Thompson G. editor Governing the European Economy. (London: Sage, 2001)
Wallace, Helen and Wallace, William editors Policy Making in the European Union 2nd edition. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000).
Wiener, A and T. Diez editors European Integration Theory. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004)
III. Journals
Comparative Politics, European Journal of Political Research. European Journal of International Relations
Government and Opposition, Government and Policy, International Affairs, Journal of Common Market, Studies, Journal of European Integration, Journal of European Public Policy, Political Geography Quarterly, Political Quarterly, Political Studies, Politics, Regional and Federal Studies, South European Society and Politics, West European Politics, World Politics
Assessment
Weighting between components A and B A: 50% B: 50%
ATTEMPT 1
First Assessment Opportunity
Component A
Description of each element Element weighting
1. Unseen three hour final examination paper. 50%
Component B
Description of each element Element weighting
1. A 10 minute in class presentation 10%
2. A 5 minute in class country position statement as part of the simulation game 10%
3. An essay (2500words) chosen from a list of topics provided 30%
Second Assessment Opportunity (further attendance at taught classes is not required)
Component A
Description of each element Element weighting
1. Unseen three hour examination. 50%
Component B
Description of each element Element weighting
1. Essay (3500 words) chosen from a list of re-assessment essays. 50%
SECOND (OR SUBSEQUENT) ATTEMPT: Attendance at taught classes is not required.
Specification confirmed by …………………………………………………Date ……………………………
(Associate Dean/Programme Director)