040229 SE Policy in the EU (2021S)

Summary of the Course Contents:
The policies of the European Union (EU) profoundly affect the lives of people in Europe and around the world. The most commonly known policies to do that are the creation of a single market (~500 million consumers, one of the largest in the world), as well as the creation of the Euro (despite its young age, a powerful international currency). In addition to these economic achievements, the EU has become a serious actor in other areas such as environmental protection, international trade, development aid, international security, etc.
This seminar will focus on: EU internal policies such as the single market, Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), EU’s social dimension, and the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (AFSJ); EU’s external dimension with policies such as international trade, enlargement, the Common Foreign and Security Policy/Common Defence and Security Policy (CFSP/CSDP), environmental protection, etc.; in the third part students will get acquainted with issues that currently dominate the discourse about EU studies such as the democratic deficit and legitimacy of the EU.
Completion of the seminar will enable students to have a deeper understanding of selected EU policies and their impact within the EU and at the global level as well as further understanding on issues dominating the discourse on the EU.

OBJECTIVE OF THE COURSE:
The aim of the course is twofold:
a) introduce students to, and gain in-depth knowledge about, relevant EU policies and issues dominating the discourse on the EU;
b) advance students' ability to produce written analyses in accordance with good academic practices.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
• Detailed understanding about selected EU policies with a focus on their internal and external dimensions
• Analytical/critical take on issues currently dominating the discourse on the European integration process
• Awareness about the way in which regional and international implications of the concerned policies/issues impact upon each other
• Each class stresses a specific issue thus, students will gain
o introductory knowledge through compulsory & further background readings and
o in‐depth knowledge through the additional and further readings.
• Class is designed to develop students’ analytical/critical thinking and presentation techniques.
• Research work and essay writing target the improvement of students’ research and academic writing skills. Hence, students will learn how to:
o Independently produce written analyses in accordance with good academic practices,
o Raise good analytical questions relevant to topics provided,
o Plan own research, and
o Critically analyse and think conceptually about EU selected policies/issues by using reasoned/well-informed arguments.