University of Victoria – European Studies Program

EUS 100: Introduction to European Studies

Fall 2017

InstructorDr. Valerie D’Erman

LecturesWednesdays, 2:30-5:20pm

LocationECS (Engineering Computer Science building) 108

OfficeDavid Turpin Building (DTB A334)

E-Mail

Phone250-853-3552

Office HoursThursdays 12:30-2:30pm; or by appointment

Course Outline

The continent of Europe has a rich and varied history and is the birthplace of many important ideologies, art forms, and political institutions. The structure and culture of each individual European country varies enormously across the continent; at the same time, many of these countries have joined together in an unprecedented experiment of economic and political integration in the European Union (EU).

This course gives a broad introduction to the areas of study in the European Studies Program by doing a ‘Tour of Europe’. In class, we examine different European countries on their own, as well as in relation to each other and to the EU. This is an interdisciplinary course grounded in the social sciences, including the areas of history, law, politics, and economics.Because of this interdisciplinarity, guests are regularly brought in to give brief lectures. Some topics include the history of modern Europe, the debates and ideas behind the creation of the EU, the cultural and political ramifications of ‘East-West’ legacies in Europe, and EU-Canada relations. The course also examines a number of current events in different European countries, to include the debt crisis, identity politics, and Europe’s role in the world.

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

  • Have a solid understanding of the areas of study and opportunities within the European Studies Program[1];
  • Understand the historical context that led to the formation of the EU;
  • Appreciate the contribution of different European cultures and their relation to present-day Europe;
  • Understand some of the key issues and events in Europe today;
  • Develop skills in note-taking, writing, discussion, argumentation, and presenting.

Readings

There are no assigned textbooks to purchase for this course. All readings will be linked through the class CourseSpaces website (coursespaces.uvic.ca), or will be found on library reserve. The specific readings assigned for each class are listed by date, below (under Schedule of Topics), and on CourseSpaces. It is the students’ responsibility to read the assigned material in advance of each class.

Course Spaces

CourseSpaces ( is an open source online e-learning platform. It will be used in EUS 100 for announcements and to post readings accompanying course lectures. You can also use Course Spaces to access the course outline and information about how to contact the instructor.

Course Evaluation

Attendance and Participation10%

Midterm (in-class):30%

Mini-conference presentations30%

Final take-home exam30%

TOTAL:100%

Attendance and Participation

Attendance is a key component of student success. As this is a once a week, 3-hour class, attendance and engagement with course material is critical. Attendance will be taken every class; students who leave class early will not receive full attendance points for the session. Participation means that students are expected to engage in class discussions and in Q&A sessions with guest speakers.

Midterm Exam

The midterm exam is worth 30% and will be held in-class on October 18. It will cover all lectures, guest lectures, and readings up until that point. More details will be provided in class.

Mini-Conference Presentations / Debate

During the weeks of Nov. 22 and Nov.29, each student will be required to give a short (5-minute) presentation on a topic within an assigned theme, as well as to turn in a written ‘brief’ on the same topic.Each student will also be assigned to ask questions and give feedback on another student’s presentation. Students will be evaluated according to their presentation skills and preparedness, writing, and efforts toward discussion. More details will be provided in class and on CourseSpaces.

Final take-home exam

The instructor will provide exam questions during the final week of classes. This final exam will consist of essay questions and will pertain to material from the entire semester.

Guidelines and expectations for this take-home exam will be discussed in class, and will be posted on CourseSpaces before the end of the semester. The final is due by 4pm on Monday, December 4.

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Schedule of Topics and Readings

(All readings are required and can be found throughCourseSpaces)

Week 1 – September 6: Introduction

  • Introduction to class, discussion of course expectations.
  • Overview of EUS programs and opportunities available for students interested in EUS as a minor

Week 2 – September 13: Switzerland, UK, and Ireland

  • Power and neutrality; Brexit; Ireland’s relationship to Europe.
  • Guest speaker: Charlotte Schallie (German and Slavic Studies)
  • Readings:
  • Washington Post (10 February 2014) “Why the Swiss voted to cap immigration.” (website)
  • European Parliament Fact Sheet: “The European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland and the North.” (website)
  • Kinsman, J. (Fall 2016), OpenCanada.org, “Life after Brexit: When Nothing is Clear, is anything Possible?” Policy Magazine, pp.60-62. (website pdf)
  • The Guardian (21 June 2017). “How does the Irish border affect Brexit talks?” (website)

Week 3 – September 20: France and Germany

  • WWII and aftermath; what the EU is and what it does; France & Germany today.
  • Guest speaker: Oliver Schmidtke (History / Centre for Global Studies)
  • Readings:
  • Bulmer, S. & W.E.Paterson. (1996). “Germany in the EU: Gentle Giant or Emergent Leader?”International Affairs 72(1), pp.9-32. (pdf)
  • Rozenberg, O. (24 February 2015). “France in quest of a European narrative.” Fondation Robert Schuman, Policy Paper No. 345. (pdf)
  • Bulmer, S. & W.E. Paterson (2017). “Germany and the crisis: Asset or liability?” In D. Dinan, N. Nugent, and W.E. Paterson (Eds.), The European Union in Crisis (pp. 212-230). UK: Palgrave Macmillan. (pdf)

Week 4 – September 27: GIPSI countries and Visegrád countries

  • The single currency (euro); debt crises; relationships of countries to monetary union.
  • Guest speaker: Amy Verdun (Political Science)
  • Readings:
  • Macdonald, N. (10 December 2016). “The big price Canadians pay for their little dollar.” CBC News, opinion. (website)
  • Krugman, P.(12 January 2011). “Can Europe be Saved?” The New York Times Magazine. Retrieved from: (website)
  • Matthijs, M. (2014). “Mediterranean Blues: The Crisis in Southern Europe.” Journal of Democracy 25 (1), pp. 100-115. (pdf)

Week 5 – October 4: European integration in the past century – the EU

  • Guest speaker: Jeremy Kinsman (former Canadian Ambassador to the EU)
  • Readings:
  • McCormick, J. & J. Gillingham. (2012). “The European Union: Success or Failure?”, in H. Zimmerman & A. Dur (eds.), Key Controversies in European Integration. NY: Palgrave Macmillan, pp.10-31. (pdf)
  • Judt, T. (11 July 1996), “Europe: The Grand Illusion.”NY Times Review of Books. Retreived from: (pdf).
  • Rood, J. (2017). “A crisis of confidence in the European Union?” Thematic study Clingendael Strategic Monitor: Netherlands Institute of International Relations. (website pdf)

Week 6 – October 11: Turkey, Enlargement, and European Identity

  • Identity politics and issues with ‘European’ identity; refugee crisis
  • Guest speaker: TBA
  • Readings:
  • Epstein, R. & C.J. Bickerton. (2012). “Turkey and Beyond: Is EU Enlargement a Success Story or Has It Gone Too Far?”, in H. Zimmerman & A. Dur (eds.), Key Controversies in European Integration. NY: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 205-217. (pdf)
  • Johnson, T. (2011). “Europe: Integrating Islam.” Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved from (website)
  • Buonanno, L. (2017). “The European Migration Crisis.” In D. Dinan, N. Nugent, and W.E. Paterson (Eds.), The European Union in Crisis (pp. 100-125). UK: Palgrave Macmillan. (pdf)

Week 7 – October 18: MIDTERM

  • Midterm written in-class
  • No readings or guest speakers this week

Week 8 – October 25: Scandinavian countries

  • Welfare models; intentional autonomy from the EU; social democracy
  • Guest speaker: Daniel Schulz (European Union Institute, Florence)
  • Readings:
  • The New York Times Magazine (24 January 2017). “Will France Sound the Death Knell for Social Democracy?”
  • The Economist (2 February 2013). “The next supermodel.” (pdf through UVic library ProQuest).
  • Keskinen, S. (2016). “From welfare nationalism to welfare chauvinism: Economic rhetoric, the welfare state and changing asylum policies in Finland.” Critical Social Policy, 36(3): 352-370. Retrieved from (website)

Week 9 – November 1: Russia, Ukraine, and EU-NATO relations

  • Russian relations with European countries; language politics in the EU; European security issues.
  • Guest speaker: Dr. Vladimir Prebilič (University of Ljubljana)
  • Readings:
  • TBA (will be posted soon)

Week 10– November 8: European laws and norms

  • Law and democracy; EU law (and issues within); implications of enlargement.
  • Guest speaker: Keith Cherry (Ph.D. candidate, Law)
  • Readings:
  • European Commission. (2014). “Factsheet on the ‘Right to be Forgotten’ ruling (C-131/12).” (website pdf)
  • McHangama, J. (7 July 2016). “Europe’s Freedom of Speech Fail.” Foreign Policy. Retrieved from: (website)
  • Blauberger, M. & Schmidt, S. (2017). “The European Court of Justice and its political impact.” West European Politics, 40(4). Available at: (website)

Week 11 – November 15: READING BREAK

  • Class cancelled for reading break holiday!

Week 12 – November 22: MINI-DEBATES

  • Student presentations; discussion of final paper assignment.

Week 13 – November 29: MINI-DEBATES, and course conclusions

  • Student presentations; preparation for final papers; overview of EUS program

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Grading System

Students will be assigned grades based on the UVic Percentage Grading Scale:

Passing Grades / Grade Point Value / Percentage / Description
A+
A
A- / 9
8
7 / 90–100
85–89
80–84 / Exceptional, outstanding and excellent performance. Normally achieved by a minority of students. These grades indicate a student who is self-initiating, exceeds expectation and has an insightful grasp of the subject matter.
B+
B
B- / 6
5
4 / 77–79
73–76
70–72 / Very good, good and solid performance. Normally achieved by the largest number of students. These grades indicate a good grasp of the subject matter or excellent grasp in one area balanced with satisfactory grasp in the other area.
C+
C / 3
2 / 65–69
60–64 / Satisfactory, or minimally satisfactory. These grades indicate a satisfactory performance and knowledge of the subject matter.
D / 1 / 50–59 / Marginal Performance. A student receiving this grade demonstrated a superficial grasp of the subject matter.
Failing Grades / Grade Point Value / Percentage / Description
F / 0 / 0–49 / Unsatisfactory performance. Wrote final examination and completed course requirements; no supplemental.
N / 0 / 0–49 / Did not write examination or complete course requirements by the end of term or session; no supplemental.

1. The percentage grading scale applies to all Faculties at the University of Victoria.

2. The percentage grades should be associated with a letter grading schema.

3. A percentage grade for an N grade should be assigned in the following manner:

N grade percentage range 0-49: In cases where a student who has not completed the exam or has not completed the course requirements but has submitted course requirements that total more than 49% of the total grade for a course, an instructor will assign a percentage grade of 49%.

Plagiarism and Academic Integrity (adapted from Teaching and Learning Centre material): Academic integrity is intellectual honesty and responsibility for academic work that you submit individually or as a member of a group. It involves commitment to the values of honesty, trust and responsibility. It is expected that students will respect these ethical values in all activities related to learning, teaching, research and service. Therefore, plagiarism and other acts against academic integrity are serious academic offences. In this context, be advised that I reserve the right, in my capacity as the instructor of this course, to employ plagiarism-detection software (such as Turnitin) in cases of suspected plagiarism.Please see the (revised) academic integrity policy:

The responsibility of the institution - Instructors and academic units have the responsibility to ensure that standards of academic honesty are met. By doing so, the institution recognizes students for their hard work and assures them that other students do not have an unfair advantage through cheating on essays, exams, and projects.

The responsibility of the student - Plagiarism sometimes occurs due to a misunderstanding regarding the rules of academic integrity, but it is the responsibility of the student to know them. If you are unsure about the standards for citations or for referencing your sources, ask your instructor. Depending on the severity of the case, penalties include a warning, a failing grade, a record on the student’s transcript, or a suspension. It is your responsibility to understand the University’s policy on academic integrity, which can be found on pages 32-34 of the undergraduate calendar.

Course Experience Survey (CES)

I value your feedback on this course. Towards the end of term you will have the opportunity to complete a confidential course experience survey (CES) regarding your learning experience. The survey is vital to providing feedback to me regarding the course and my teaching, as well as to help the department improve the overall program for students in the future. When it is time for you to complete the survey, you will receive an email inviting you to do so. If you do not receive an email invitation, you can go directly to You will need to use your UVic NetLink ID to access the survey, which can be done on your laptop, tablet or mobile device. I will remind you nearer the time, but please be thinking about this important activity, especially the following three questions, during the course.

  1. What strengths did your instructor demonstrate that helped you learn in this course?
  2. Please provide specific suggestions as to how the instructor could have helped you learn more effectively.
  3. Please provide specific suggestions as to how this course could be improved.

Student Success Tips

UVic has different resources on campus to assist you. If you would like to improve your writing skills, please consult the Centre for Academic Communication at

To improve other learning skills, time management, and note taking, please consult the Learning Skills courses offered by UVic:

Professor Study Tips (see ):

  1. Attend lectures and tutorials
  2. Introduce yourself to your professor or TA
  3. Relate what you are learning to your life
  4. Prepare for class
  5. Take your own notes
  6. Do not leave things until the last minute
  7. Ask questions
  8. Respect your classmates
  9. Have an open mind
  10. Take responsibility for your own learning
  11. Look into the outstanding resources at UVic ~ Writing Center, Peer Help, International Commons, Counseling, and Resource Center for Students with a Disability
  12. Get involved
  13. Remember to be respectful with all forms of communication

14. Use a calendar to schedule your due dates and schedule study time

Courtesy rules

We all like to use our cell phones and other electronic devices. In the classroom it is important that you only use electronic devices for the purpose of learning for the class. You are asked not to watch other things on your device, as doing so may distract yourself as well as others around you. It is also expected that you turn off your cell phone, or put it to silent, so as not to disturb your fellow students.

In the spirit of collegiality, please make every effort to come to class on time so as not to disrupt the class with late arrival, and that you avoid leaving early. The classroom doors are at the front of the class, so latecomers (or early leavers) distract the class and the professor. If you are late, please be courteous and enter through the door at the back of the lecture hall. Talking during the professor’s lecture distracts those around you. Thank you for being polite—we all appreciate it!

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[1]The aim of the European Studies Minor (EUS) is to explore the ideas, histories and practices that put Europe at the centre of the world's most vital challenges and their solutions. The three core courses (EUS 100, EUS 200, EUS 300) take an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural look at European Integration and its unique politics, economics, cultures and identities.The European Studies Program also offers experiential learning opportunities – studyabroad programs, internships in Brussels, EU Council simulations – in partnershipwith the European Centre of Excellence.