At the end of this course, students will be able
- to describe the historical development of the European Union
- to describe the main theories of European integration
- to analyse the historical and theoretical origins of current academic and societal debates on European integration
- to analyse the historical development of the EU using the main theories of European integration
- to evaluate the explanatory power of the main theories of European integration by assessing their congruence with empirical developments
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In this course, students will learn more about the theoretical perspectives that are used to explain the historical process of European integration since the end of World War II.
“Towards an ever closer union”? At least since this year’s referendum in the United Kingdom, the assumption of a quasi-automatism towards more integration cannot be taken for granted anymore. Since the early 1950s today, the European Union had significantly broadened its membership and scope of competencies while deepening the policy coordination among its member states. Despite occasional hold-ups and societal opposition, many European countries decided to pool a broad range of competences which are traditionally perceived as to be fundamental prerogatives of the nation-state. At the moment, however, it seems that this trend has come to halt or might even be reversed.
The aim of this course is to provide students with an overview of the most relevant developments of the European integration. At the same time, the influence and impact of different institutions within this process will be thoroughly discussed. What is the role of the European Commission, the Parliament, the Court, and the Council? To what extent are national legislatures, business actors and civil society groups involved with the permanent reconstruction of the European polity? What is the impact of international or global developments, to what extend are they influenced by European integration? Finally, how can we evaluate the process of European integration in normative terms? In order to answer these questions, the course will apply contrasting perspectives from various strands of European integration theories. Students will learn how to apply theoretical insights to empirical observations in order to acquire a nuanced understanding of the dynamics of European integration and disintegration. |
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No specific prior knowledge is required, but students are expected to have an interest in using social science theories to understand and explain empirical developments.
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