30573 - HISTORY OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION
Department of Social and Political Sciences
Course taught in English
Go to class group/s: 31
CLEAM (6 credits - I sem. - OP | SECS-P/12) - CLEF (6 credits - I sem. - OP | SECS-P/12) - CLEACC (6 credits - I sem. - OP | SECS-P/12) - BESS-CLES (6 credits - I sem. - OP | SECS-P/12) - WBB (6 credits - I sem. - OP | SECS-P/12) - BIEF (6 credits - I sem. - OP | SECS-P/12) - BIEM (6 credits - I sem. - OP | SECS-P/12) - BIG (6 credits - I sem. - OP | SECS-P/12) - BEMACS (6 credits - I sem. - OP | SECS-P/12) - BAI (6 credits - I sem. - OP | SECS-P/12)
Course Director:
GRACE BALLOR
GRACE BALLOR
Suggested background knowledge
There are no prerequisites for taking this course, but students who have never studied contemporary or international history may wish to read Chapter I of Kiran Klaus Patel, Project Europe: A History. (Cambridge University Press, 2020). This text is covered in the course, but it also serves as a useful background reading for students who wish to have an introduction to the subject.
Mission & Content Summary
MISSION
We live in a Europe governed by complex institutions and characterized by many layers of international cooperation – products of a long historical integration process. But the purpose and consequences of European integration and the role of European institutions are contested between fundamentally different interpretations. For some, regional integration has been a peace project developed in the wake of world war; for others, the supranational institutions of the European Union are instruments of economic globalization dominated by multinational corporations. Some see European institutions as guarantors of human rights and unifying forces against destructive nationalism, while others oppose them as neoliberal constructs designed to suppress the sovereignty of nations and societies. Such debates – which have become central features of today’s electoral politics and changing business environments – require us to study the histories of European integration and cooperation to better understand the past, navigate the present, and make decisions about the future of Europe.
CONTENT SUMMARY
What is Europe? How does the region relate to the rest of the world? And what is the backstory of Brexit? This Civica Engage elective course explores the making of contemporary Europe diachronically and in global context through four modules. It considers the plurality of “Europes” that emerged in the postwar period, including the institutional evolution of the European Communities and European Union, their challenges and their achievements. It situates the development of regional cooperation agreements within the global context of World War, decolonization, Cold War, economic crises, globalization, the Soviet collapse, and the turmoil of the early 21st century. It evaluates the the roles that different actors – including multilateral organizations and multinational corporations – played in shaping European governance. And it equips students to apply this knowledge to their own analyses of contemporary political debates, through readings, discussions, and a capstone podcast project.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
At the end of the course student will be able to...
- Identify key developments and actors in the history of European integration
- Understand the role of economic and geopolitical factors in the integration process
- Examine the making of the European Union and its predecessors in global context
APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
At the end of the course student will be able to...
- Analyze primary and secondary sources on regional cooperation
- Develop original, evidence-based arguments about the history of European integration
- Apply knowledge of integration history to contemporary debates about the EU
Teaching methods
- Lectures
- Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
- Individual works / Assignments
DETAILS
Lectures are designed to engage students on the course topics and to help them summarize and understand the content of the advanced course readings. Guest lectures give students the opportunity to learn from scholars with particular areas of expertise relating to contemporary Europe and enrich a collective understanding of course material.
Assessment methods
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ATTENDING STUDENTS
This course is designed to be cumulative and is constructed in such a way that every student can succeed. Student acquisition of knowledge and mastery of skills developed in this course will be assessed in three ways, reflecting the course’s teaching and learning modes: through demonstrating mastery of course content on quizzes; participating in class discussion and presentation; and producing a podcast based on original research in collaboration with peers. Students will work together in small groups to create and produce an audio podcast on a theme of their choosing, which must include an interview with an official from an institution of European governance and/or an expert on the EU. This assignment gives students a valuable opportunity to develop their own analyses of topics that interest them most, to engage closely with experts, and to contribute a resource for others studying European integration.
NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS
Students who do not participate in the in-person class sessions and who do not qualify as attending students must complete an original research essay on an assigned question related to the course content, citing both primary and secondary sources (50% of the overall course grade). After passing the research essay, they may register for the general exam (50% of the overall course grade).
Teaching materials
ATTENDING AND NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS
Teaching materials will be provided on the course syllabus.
Last change 28/08/2024 09:50