Power and Policy-making in the European Union

Course Code: ST108A

Institution:

Department of Global Political Studies

Revision:

2

For students admitted fall 2012   fall 2011   fall 2010   fall 2009   spring 2009   fall 2008  

Other set versions

Approval

The course was established 02 June 2006.
This course syllabus (version 2) was approved 18 December 2006 by the Board of studies at School of Technology and Society.
The syllabus is valid from 31 August 2007. Replacement for course syllabus ratified 22 June 2006.

Education level

First cycle

Course description

The aim of the course is to further develop students’ abilities in analysing political power and policy-making in the European UnionTheoretical and historical perspectives

The relationships between the European Union and its citizens will be a focal point throughout the whole course.

Entry requirements

European Integration, 1-30 hp, or equivalent introducing course (i.e. Political Science, 1-30 hp; International Relations, 1-30 hp).

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding:
By the end of the course, students are expected:

• to be aware of the post-Cold War historical development of EU politics
• to be familiar with the assumptions and hypotheses of differing theoretical perspectives
• to understand the institutional processes in the EU

Applying Knowledge and Understanding:
By the end of the course, students are expected:

• to be able to scrutinize the variety of channels of political representation in the EU.
• to be able to compare the EU as a post-national polity with other polities
• to be able to examine, critically, the political consequences of multi-level governance.
• to be able to inform others about the political consequences of European Union in their everyday lives.
• to be able to critically examine the EU as a democratic polity

Making Judgemets:
By the end of the course, students are expected:

• to be able to reflect critically on current events in contemporary EU politics.

Assessments

Each sub-course will be individually assessed. Assessment will be mixed and progressive, with an emphasis on original and critical thinking. Assessment forms will include project work, both written and oral, with a focus on political power and policy-making in the European Union. Assessment in sub-course 1 will stress development of knowledge; sub-course 2 will emphasise greater understanding; sub-course 3 will focus on critical-analytical ability; and sub-course 4 will be explicitly assessing synthesis and ability to convey knowledge to others. Assessment on sub-course 1 will be written exam covering historical and theoretical knowledge. Assessment on sub-course 2 will be individual written work covering institutional processes in the EU. Assessment on sub-course 3 will be individual written work and oral presentation/defence on an area of EU political representation. Assessment on sub-course will be by an individual, extended thesis bringing together developed knowledge and understanding to analyse a case-study in political power and policy-making in the EU polity.

The grades for all sub-courses are A to F according to the ECTS system. A student who has failed an examination has the right to a renewed examination within the time frame set for the education.



Course content

The course provides four main elements needed for a thorough comprehension of power and policy-making in the European Union: background perspectives, institutional understanding, political analysis, and post-national politics. On this basis, the course is divided into four sub-courses:

• Theoretical and Historical Perspectives

This sub-course develops students’ awareness of the interrelationships between theoretical and historical developments in the study of the EU. This includes a greater familiarity with ideas about policy-making, Europeanisation, and the endpoint of the integration process.


• Institutional Processes

This sub-course provides students with a deeper understanding of the institutional processes within the European Union. This includes a greater awareness of formal and informal politics and power within the policy-making processes of the European Union.


• Political Representation

This sub-course encourages students to more critically examine the EU as a democratic polity, such as questions of participation, legitimacy, efficiency and citizenship. This includes developing a greater analytical ability to comprehend the variety of channels of political representation in the EU, such as elections and referenda, lobbying and interest groups, and the role of regions in the EU policy process.

• Post-national Polity, 7. 5

This sub-course syntheses the three previous sub-courses by requiring students to further develop their abilities to analyse political power and policy-making within the post-national polity of the EU. This includes a greater ability to compare and contrast features of the EU polity with those of other polities, with a particular emphasis on the relationships between power, politics, and citizens.

During this course students will have the opportunity to consider issues of migration, the environment, and equality and gender in all four sub-courses.



Learning activities

• Theoretical and Historical Perspectives – six weeks course meeting twice a week for a two-hour lecture-seminar. Course text and readings will be required before meetings. Additional study hours include reading, writing and seminar preparation. Self study time 180 hours.
• Institutional Processes – six weeks course meeting twice a week for a two-hour lecture-seminar. Course text and readings will be required before meetings. Additional study hours include reading, writing and seminar preparation. Self study time 180 hours.
• Political Representation – six weeks course meeting twice a week for a two-hour lecture-seminar. Course text and readings will be required before meetings. Additional study hours include reading, writing and seminar preparation. Self study time 180 hours.
• Post-national Polity – 19 weeks course, meeting once every two weeks during the first 18 weeks (i.e. during the teaching time of the previous three part-courses). Last week will include paper presentations and discussions, about 15 hours. Additional study hours include reading, writing, and seminar preparation. Self study time 170 hours.

Grading system

Fail (U), Pass (G) or Pass with Distinction (VG).


Reading list and other media

• Richardson, Jeremy (ed.): European Union: Power and Policy-making, 3rd edn. Routledge, 2005
• Delanty, Gerard and Rumford, Chris: Rethinking Europe: Social Theory and the Implications of Europeanization. Routledge, 2005
• Cini, Michelle and Bourne, Angela (eds.): Palgrave Advances in European Union Studies. Palgrave, 2006.
• Wallace, Helen and Wallace, William and Pollack, Mark (eds.): Policy-Making in the European Union, 5th edn. Oxford University Press, 2005