Department of Politics and International Studies

University of Warwick

PO910

European Integration

Module Handbook 2007-2008

Module Director: Dr George Christou

Welcome to PO910

Contact details.

Using Email.

Aims and Objectives.

Aims

Objectives

Key skills

Learning and Teaching methods.

Independent study

Module Assessment

Penalties for the late submission of assessed essays

Round 1- Assessed Essay Titles

Referencing and Plagiarism.

Teaching Schedule (at a glance).

Literature and Resources.

Essential texts.

Conducting Research.

Academic Journals.

Newspapers, periodicals and the media.

European Documentation Centre

Web-based resources

Teaching Schedule and suggested reading (in detail)

Welcome to PO910

Welcome to this MA optional module on European integration. Given that you have chosen to take this module, you obviously have an interest in European integration and the European Union (EU). Hopefully this module will challenge your thinking on the EU, and will enable you to better appreciate how the EU works, and how integral it is in international politics. The EU represents one of the most radical experiments in governance, and has profoundly altered the European state system. Moreover, the EU has an ever-increasing impact upon the lives of European citizens, and has established itself as a key actor in the global political and economic order.

This module considers the development of European integration and the contemporary character of the EU. It adopts both a micro and macro approach by examining the historical evolution of the EU, its institutional framework, its policy-making activity, and the impact of European governance on both domestic and international politics. The module will explore some key themes and provide you with the tools for further research into issues that you are most interested in. We are studying the EU at a crucial point in its history, with the recent enlargement, the failure of the EU Constitution and current debates on the ratification of a new Reform Treaty. The module also raises fundamental practical and analytical questions about the contemporary politics of European integration.

This handbook is essential to the module. You should read it carefully and bring it with you to all classes. It provides you with an outline of the module and a detailed reading list and explains the aims, objectives, and forms of assessment for this module.

You can also consult the module website at:

Seminars will be held on:

Tuesday 1300-1500, Room H5.45 (Humanities)

NB FIRST SESSION ONLY (2nd Oct 2007) WILL BE HELD IN H3.44

Contact details.

Dr George Christou is responsible for the organisation and delivery of the module. He is available during his office hours should you have any problems or questions in relation to the module. If you are unable to come in office hours, please make an appointment via email.

Dr George Christou

Room B1.14 Social Studies

email:

tel: Direct line from outside the University – 02476-5723110

Internal extension 23110

Office hours:Tuesday 16:00-17:00

Wednesday 10:00-11:00

Using Email.

Please consult me during my office hours about any questions or problems you may have. If you are unable to come in office hours, please make an appointment via email.

You are expected to read your university email account regularly.

Aims and Objectives.

This module is designed to meet the following aims and objectives. You should bear these in mind as you work through this module; they should guide your learning.

Aims

The module aims to:

  • introduce and explore the main theoretical perspectives and debates in the study of European integration;
  • offer an understanding of the origins, development, institutions and global significance of the EU;
  • discuss a series of policy-relevant questions associated with the processes of European integration, and governance of Europe;
  • assess contemporary debates about the future of European integration;.
  • develop students’ skills in the effective collection and interpretation of information;
  • develop students’ abilities to argue cogently, concisely and critically.

Objectives

On completion of this module, you should be able to:

  • discuss critically the main theoretical perspectives involved in the study of European integration;
  • engage with and analyse developments and debates in EU politics and EU policy-making;
  • evaluate critically the characteristics and dilemmas of the EU’s institutional framework and modes of governance;
  • explore analytically the key issues at stake in debates about the future of the EU.

On completion of this module, you should also have developed your communication, research and writing skills and your ability to work independently and as part of a group.

Key skills

Your active participation in the module allows you to practice and receive feedback on valuable key skills.

Communication skills: Your written work and the feedback you obtain on it is designed to improve your writing skills, whilst the group presentations, participation in group work, and the general conduct of seminar discussions contribute towards the development of oral communication skills.

The use of information technology: The use of search engines and internet resources to acquire material for seminar work, essays and your presentations allows you to practice the use of IT.

Learning how to learn: Group work, presentations and research for your essays provide opportunities for you to learn how to learn, both on your own and together with others.

Learning and Teaching methods.

The module is organised around a weekly two-hour seminar in Terms 1 and 2. The format of these sessions will vary. This is a graduate module and seminars are ‘student-led’. This means that there will not be lengthy lectures. At this level, classes draw upon the insights and ideas that students derive from their weekly reading. A greater emphasis upon independent learning is the key to distinguishing a good MA student from a good undergraduate.

All students are expected to read intensively every week for the seminars. For you to get the best out of your learning in this module, you have to come to the session prepared, having read in advance, and be willing to engage in discussions and complete tasks. As well as thinking about the issues under each topic in this handbook, you should also prepare questions or topics for discussion each week. In addition, you will be required to make formal small group presentations on various topics. You will find the details for this in the Learning and Teaching Schedule.

You are required to attend all sessions. Should you be unable to attend a session, you are expected to inform Dr George Christou of the reason for your absence beforehand or, if this is not feasible, as soon as possible afterwards.

Please take note of Regulation 13: “…failure to attend prescribed classes or to complete prescribed coursework may result in a student being required to submit additional assessed work, or to sit an additional written examination, or in the student being required to withdraw from his/her course of study.” (Regulation 13.1 Section 1)

Independent study

Independent study is crucial to learning at university level. You should spend at least 10-12 hours per week on independent study for this module.

Module Assessment

This module follows the assessment procedures for the MA/Diploma programmes in International Politics and Europe, International Political Economy and International Relations. For more details about these procedures, submission dates and important information about the assessment criteria employed in PAIS, see the relevant programme handbooks.

You will be required to submit two research essays of 5000 words.

For the first essay, you can either choose a title from the Assessed Essay title list below, or alternatively you can negotiate your own title. The titles below primarily reflect the module content covered in the first term.

For the second essay, you are required to devise a title through a process of negotiation with your tutor.

When negotiating an essay title, you need to see Dr George Christou well in advance of the title submission deadline. You need to prepare an outline of your ideas on paper, and bring this along to discuss with Dr George Christou, and from that negotiate a workable essay title.

Please note that all titles, whether chosen from the list or negotiated, must be approved on the relevant form by the module tutor. All titles selected are subject to approval by your course director and the relevant external examiner.

Penalties for the late submission of assessed essays

According to University rules, late submission of an assessed essay will, unless an extension has been granted in advance of the deadline, result in the following penalty deduction from your mark: 3% per day (please see the Graduate Student Handbook for further details).

Round 1- Assessed Essay Titles

  1. European nation state influences on integration 1945-1958.
  1. The impact of European integration on national sovereignty: A critical analysis.
  1. The evolution of the European Parliament as an actor in the EU policy process: an institutionalist perspective.
  1. Non-governmental influence in EU policy-making: the role of interest groups.
  1. An examination of the legitimacy crisis in the EU.
  1. Managing the EU policy-making process: the role of the European Commission.
  1. The co-decision process: redressing the power imbalance between the Council and the European Parliament
  1. The relevance of neofunctionalism in explaining the development of the European Union 1945-1993
  1. The contribution of multi-level governance to understanding the character of EU policy-making.
  1. The impact of Europeanisation on domestic politics: a case study.

Referencing and Plagiarism.

There are severe penalties for cheating of any kind in all forms of University test. Plagiarism is a form of cheating, as it attempts to acquire a benefit from the work of others unfairly. The Department’s policy on Plagiarism is fully explained in the PAIS Graduate Student Handbook, available both in hard copy and on the PAIS website. The handbook explains how the University’s published regulation may be access on the web. If you are in any doubt about what constitutes plagiarism, you should consult your personal tutor or module director before submitting written work. The PAIS Plagiarism Committee will submit all assessed work for a number of modules to plagiarism detection software. No announcement about the identity of these modules will be made.

Teaching Schedule (at a glance).

Week/ Date / Topic
1 2 Oct 2007 / Reflecting on European integration.
2 9 Oct 2007 / Defining European integration.
3 16 Oct 2007 / The Origins of European integration.
4 23 Oct 2007 / The Evolution of the EU: theory and practice.
5 30 Oct 2007 / How Europe Works. (Allocation of topics for Week 8 presentations)
6 6 Nov 2007 / Reading Week.
7 13 Nov 2007 / The Institutionalisation of the EU.
8 20 Nov 2007 / Member States and Europeanisation. (Presentations)
9 27 Nov 2007 / Theorising EU governance.
10 4 Dec 2007 / Analysing the EU polity.
11 8 Jan 2008 / Law and implementation of EU policy(Allocation of topics for Week 13 presentations)
12 15 Jan 2008 / Legitimising European integration.
13 22 Jan 2008 / The Politics of EMU. (Group presentations)
14 29 Jan 2008 / Cohesion and redistribution. (Allocation of topics for Week 17 presentations)
15 5 Feb 2008 / Europe’s ‘Social Model’.
16 12 Feb 2008 / Reading Week.
17 19 Feb 2008 / The EU as an ‘external’ actor. (Group presentations)
18 26 Feb 2008 / ‘Fortress Europe’
19 4 March 2008 / Towards a flexible Europe?
20 11 March 2008 / The failed Constitution and the ‘Reform Treaty’.

Literature and Resources.

Essential texts.

The following texts form the basis of required reading for this module.

You are strongly recommended to purchase the following text, as it will be used throughout the module:

Wallace, H, Wallace, W, & Pollack, M (eds.) Policy-Making in the European Union. (5th edition) Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005.

If you wish to purchase other texts, the following will be invaluable throughout the module:

  • Green Cowles, M & Dinan, D (eds.) Developments in the European Union 2. Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2004.
  • Nugent N., The Government and Politics of the European Union. (6th edition) Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2006.
  • Rosamond, B., Theories of European Integration. Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2000.
  • Warleigh, A (ed.) Understanding European Union Institutions. London: Routledge, 2002.
  • Wiener, A & Diez, T (eds.) European Integration Theory. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004.

Those without prior knowledge of the EU should consider:

  • Cini, M (ed.) European Union Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007.
  • Dinan, D. Ever Closer Union: An Introduction to European Integration. (3rd edition) Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2005.
  • George, S & Bache, I Politics in the European Union. (2nd edition) Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006.

The following texts are also recommended for further reading throughout the module:

  • Bulmer, S & Lequesne, C (eds.) Member States and the European Union. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005.
  • Cini, M (ed.) European Union Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007.
  • Dinan, D. Origins and Evolution of the European Union. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006.
  • Hix, S. The Political System of the European Union. (2nd edition) Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2005.
  • Jorgensen, KE. Pollack, M. Rosamond, B. Handbook of European Union Politics, London: Sage, 2006.
  • McCormick, J. Understanding the European Union. (3rd edition) Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2005
  • Peterson, J. & Bomberg, E. Decision-Making in the European Union. Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1999.
  • Peterson, J & Shackleton, M. The Institutions of the European Union. (2nd edition) Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006.
  • Richardson, J. (ed.) European Union: Power and Policy-Making. (3rd edition) London: Routledge, 2006.

Conducting Research.

The following reading list provides a variety of sources for you to consult. When writing your formative and assessed essays, you should however extend your reading beyond what is contained in this module handbook. As postgraduate students, you should be developing your research skills. In addition to the books, journals, and websites listed here, you should consult bibliographic search tools. These are accessible via the library’s website at:

Academic Journals.

Some of the reading for each session is found in academic journals. This list provides the main academic journals that you will use or find useful in your research, all of which are held by the University of Warwick library. The library holds journals in hard copy form, but also has an impressive collection of journals in electronic form (meaning you can simply access and download an article from your computer). You should make use of the electronic journals resource. For further details, go to:

The main specialist EU studies journals are:

Common Market Law Review

Current Politics and Economics of Europe

EUSA Review

European Integration Online Papers

European Law Journal

European Law Review

European Research Papers Archive

European Union Politics

International Organisation

Journal of Common Market Studies

(JCMS also publishes a very useful annual review of EU activities)

Journal of European Public Policy

Other journals with good European/EU coverage include:

Comparative European Politics

Environmental Politics

European Journal of International Relations

European Journal of Political Research

German Politics

Government and Opposition

Journal of European Area Studies

Journal of European Social Policy

Modern and Contemporary France

Modern Italy

West European Politics

Other politics and international affairs journals you should consult:

American Journal of Political Science

British Journal of Politics and International Relations

International Affairs

International Studies Quarterly

Journal of Politics

Millennium: Journal of International Studies

New Political Economy

Political Quarterly

Political Studies

Politics

Public Administration

Review of International Studies

World Politics

Newspapers, periodicals and the media.

Given that the EU changes every day, you must keep up-to-date. Finding quality medial reporting on the EU in the UK is not easy. The best daily and weekly newspaper coverage of EU issues can be found in:

The Financial Times (

The Economist (

European Voice (

All three are taken by the library, and some articles are available free on their websites.

You should also check out the archives available on the Warwick tree under “library resources” which contains a variety of searchable CDRoms including The Economist.

Bulletin Quotidien Europe (detailed daily press releases on EU affairs, formerly Agence Europe) is a valuable tool, but access is limited outside Brussels.

Also, watch or listen to the news on the TV/Radio (European coverage is particularly good on Channel 4 News 7pm, and Newsnight BBC2 10.30pm every weekday night, and Radio 4). If you have foreign linguistic skills, make use of these by reading other European newspapers and periodicals.

It is useful to keep cuttings and photocopies from newspapers and periodicals. These can build up into a useful resource and can be cited in your essays.

European Documentation Centre

This is situated on floor 4 of the library and contains a large selection of official EU documentation. Although the move to the web means that a lot of information can now be found via the EU’s official server, the EDC is a valuable resource and holds a variety of documents. It is also useful when searching for less recent documents.

Web-based resources

The range of good quality webbased research resources is constantly expanding. The following is by no means an exhaustive list, there are many others and you should explore! You should make use of the World Wide Web, which can be accessed through most of the PCs on site at Warwick. You should get to know how to use the Internet and conduct your own searches, as this is a valuable research tool. Remember there are some extremely useful sites out there, but there is also a lot of rubbish, so chose wisely, and always reference your source (see PAIS Undergraduate Student Handbook for details of how to reference internet sites). Here is a list of some useful and reliable sites to start you off:

(official server for the EU with many sites and links to institutions, policies, and including links to sites for each member state). An absolute must for any student of EU policy-making.

(European Commission in London)

(European Information Association. A useful gateway for internet resources on the EU)

(this is an extremely useful portal to the EIOP, ERPA. EuroInternet .ink collection, ESRC One Europe or Several programme, Harvard Jean Monnet papers, and the Max Planck Institute papers)