2016 Fall SNU/GSIS Sun-Hee PARK
Political Development of European Union
Course description
This course provides students with an overview of the political institutions, the decision-making processes and the major policies of the European Union. From the beginner’s level with comprehensive textbook to the advanced level with academic articles, this course examines various issues of political development of European Union.
The course begins with an overview of the evolution of European integration history along with major treaty changes. Basic institutional quartet – the Commission, the Council, the European Parliament and the Court of Justice will also be examined in the first part of the lecture before Mid-Term. It then looks at the major European policies including macroeconomic policies, migration policies and foreign policies. China being a key problem because of its dominance in EU external trade, this course will also cover major EU-China issues at the latter part of the course as well as the transatlantic economic disputes and WTO. Brexit and Migration challenges which European Union is facing at the moment will also be examined and discussed at the latest part of our lecture.
Course structure
Each lecture starts with the instructor’s lecture on the week’s topic. After week’s subject presentation by the students, the class will have a general discussion of questions raised by the students or the instructor. Each class thus consists of three parts:
1. Instructor’s lecture
2. Presentation of student (one or more students’ presentation starting from the fifth week) Number of presentations can vary.
3. Discussion
Course requirements
Students do not need to have a previous experience on EU studies course. Every student will give more than one presentation during the semester.
Evaluation criteria
Class attendance and engaging in the discussion will be worth 10 percent.
Presentations will count for 15 percent of grade.
Assignments will consist 25%.
Mid-Term Exam will consist 25 percent of grade
Final Exam(Open book Test) will consist 25 percent of grade
Presentation 15%
Attendance and class participation 10%
Assignments 25%
Mid-Term Exam 25%
Final Exam (Open book) 25%
How to prepare a Weekly Presentation (Starting from the fifth week)
Presentation is for 20-30 minutes and will contain
- Main arguments of the given article in detail
- Comments
Fellow Students will raise questions and comments assuming the discussant role.
How to prepare a Weekly Assignment (Starting from the fifth week)
Every student will prepare a 1 page assignment for the given article and will contain
- Main arguments of the given article
- Comments and questions including personal opinions and answer to such questions:
- “What did you find interesting in this article?”
- “What are the convincing arguments and weak points that the author fails to show?”
The Assignment must be submitted to the instructor by paper (not mail) during each class starting from the fifth week. Those who give presentation are dispensed from assignment for the corresponding week.
Required Textbook for the Class
Michelle Cini, ed., European Union Politics (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 4th edition 2013). Available at the SNU University book store.
All materials other than the text book will be provided by Instructor in the form of PDF file.
Additional readings
Simon Hix & Bjorn Hoyland, Political System of the European Union (Palgrave, Macmillan, 2011).
Ian Bache & Stephen George, Politics in the European Union (Oxford University Press, 2006)
Desmond Dinan, Ever Closer Union: An Introduction to European Integration, 3rd edition
(London: Lynne Rienner, 2005)
______, Origins and Evolution of the European Union, (Oxford University Press, 2006)
Helen Wallace, William Wallace, and Mark Pollack Policy-Making in the European Union Fifth Edition,(Oxford University Press, 2005)
Elizabeth Bomberg and Alexander Stubb The European Union: How Does it Work? (Oxford University Press, 2003)
Useful Websites for EU Studies
The EU's official web-site: www.europa.eu.int
Centre for European Policy Studies (Brussels-based independent think-tank):
www.ceps.be
Europe 2020 (Paris-based think-tank, focused on serving 'the generations born since the
Treaty of Rome'): www.europe2020.org
L 'Observatoire Social Européen (Brussels-based research centre with a strong social policy interest, but also of general use): www.ose.be
European Integration On-line Papers www.eiop.or.at
The BBC’s website
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/europe/2003/inside_europe/default.stm
The EU Observer http://euobserver.com/
The European Voice http://www.european-voice.com/
European University Institute: www.iue.it
ARENA, Oslo: www.arena.uio.no
Useful Journals for EU Studies
Journal of Common Market Studies (JCMS)
European Foreign Affairs Review (EFAR)
European Union Politics (EUP)
European Law Journal (ELJ)
West European Politics (WEP)
European Journal of Political Science (EJPS)
Journal of European Public Policy (JEPP)
Comparative European Politics (CEP)
Journal of European Integration (JoEl)
International Organization (IO)
European Journal of International Relations (EJIR)
Course Schedule
9/7 Course Introduction
9/14 Chusok (National Holiday)
9/21 Historical Background of European Union and explanation of the major Treaties of European Union (Cini’s book Ch. 2-4)
9/28 Historical Background of European Union and explanation of the major Treaties of European Union (Cini’s book Ch. 2-4)
10/5 Council of the European Union(Cini’s book Ch.11)
Jonas Tallberg(2004), “The Power of the Presidency: Brokerage, Efficiency and Distribution in EU Negotiations,” Journal of Common Market Studies, Vol. 42 Issue 5, 999-1024.
Tony Blair’s EU speech of 23rd June 2005.
David Cameron’s EU Speech of 23rd of January 2013
European Commission (Cini’s book Ch. 10)
Morten Egeberg(2008), “European Government(s): Executive Politics in Transition?” West European Politics, Vol.31, Nos.1-2, pp. 235-257.
(Submission of Assignment 1)
10/12 European Parliament (Cini’s book Ch. 12)
Berthold Rittberger (2003), “The Creation and Empowerment of the European Parliament,” Journal of Common Market Studies, vol. 41, no. 2, pp.203-225.
European Court of Justice (Cini’s book Ch. 13)
Fabio Wasserfallen(2010), The judiciary as legislator? How the European Court of Justice shapes policy-making in the European Union, Journal of European Public Policy, vol. 17, no. 8, pp. 1128-1146.
(Submission of Assignment 2)
French Vision of Europe/ United Kingdom’s Vision of Europe/German Vision
of Europe (Submission of Assignment 3)
10/19 Mid Term Exam
10/26 Economic and Monetary Union(Ch.22),
Aneta Spendzharova (2012), “Is more Brussels the solution?” New European Union Member States’ Preferences about the European Financial Architecture, Journal of Common Market Studies, Vol., 50, No. 2, pp. 315-334.
Eichengreen, Barry (2012), “European Monetary Integration with Benefit of Hindsight,” Journal of Common Market Studies, Vol., 50, NoS1, pp. 123-136.
(Submission of Assignment 4)
11/2 EU as a International Actor and Environmental Policy (Chap. 24)
Isabel Ferreira Nunes (2011), “Civilian, Normative, and Ethical Power Europe: Role Claims and EU Discourses,” European Foreign Affairs Review 16, 1-20.
G. Kristin Rosendal (2005), “Governing GMOs in the EU: a deviant case of environmental Policy Making?” Global Envrionmental Politics, pp. 82-.
Bertil Kilian and Ole Elgstrom, “Still a Green Leader? The European Union’s Role in International Climate Negotiations.” Cooperation and Conflict 45-3(2010)
(Submission of Assignment 5)
11/9 EU and Asia (EU relations with China) Chap. 16
Ramon Pacheco Pardo(2009), “The political weakness of the EU in East Asia: a constructivist approach.” Asia Europe Journal 7, 265-280.
John Fox & Francois Godement. “ Power Audit of EU-China Relations.” (London: European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), 2009.
(Submission of Assignment 6)
11/16 Transatlantic economic disputes: the EU, US and the WTO
Robert Read(2001), “The Anatomy of the EU-US WTO Banana Trade Dispute.” Estey Centre Journal of International Law and Trade Policy, pp. 257-282.
Robert J. Carbaugh and John Olienyk(2004). “Boeing-Airbus Subsidy Dispute: A Sequel.” Global Economy Journal, pp. 1-
(Submission of Assignment 7)
11/23 Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (including Migration policies)(Ch. 21)
V. Guiraudon(2000), “A reappraisal of the State Sovereignty debate: The case of Migration control”, Comparative Political Studies, Vol. 33, no.2, pp. 163-195.
C. Joppke(2007). Beyond national models: Civic integration policies for immigrants in Western Europe, Western European Politics,, vol. 30, pp. 1-22.
(Submission of Assignment 8)
11/30 Migration crisis in Europe
What are the shortages of current European migration policy? What are the structural problems of Dublin system.?
12/7 Brexit
What went wrong? Why Brexit? And What next?
What would be the procedure of withdrawal?
Impact of Brexit on European Integration
Brexit from German and French Perspective
Migrant worker labor force, are they a real threat?
Incompatibility of Europeaness and Englishness?
12/14 Final Exam (Open Book)