Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

The module aims:

• To provide students with a theoretically informed understanding of the political, social and economic development of the European Union (EU).

• To explore some of the available analytical tools and perspectives for studying the EU.

The module focuses on the theories that explain the political and economic integration in the European Union. The module examines the factors which have led European nation-states to seek solutions to political and economic problems at the transnational level, and analyses how successful this cooperation has been.

Outline Of Syllabus

• Introduction to the European Union decision making process
• Introduction to the theoretical approaches to studying the community
• The spectrum of approaches since the late 1980s community relaunch
• The state: national interests and the European Union
• The market: economic integration
• The citizen: polity building
• The region: sub-national governance and the European Union
• European Union social policy
• The European Union as an international actor
• The question of enlargement
• Research paper workshop

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

By the end of this module, students will have:

• A greater understanding of the theoretical approaches that explain European Union integration.

• A greater knowledge of how the European Union and the integration process works. The approach is interdisciplinary, focusing most particularly on the economic, social and political dimensions of the integration process.

• Developed a well-informed, and conceptually sophisticated, understanding of the politics and economics of European integration.

Intended Skill Outcomes

On completion of the module, students should have improved their ability to:

• Make oral interventions in seminar discussions, lead discussions on readings and present their own research.

• Analyse and develop conceptual arguments in a critical fashion.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Two hour task oriented seminars centred around a series of key readings and group-work exercises, followed by a more general discussion.

Rationale and relationship to learning outcomes: the two hour weekly seminar will involve a combination of a presentation by the module leader and discussion based around students being responsible for leading the discussion. The themes of the seminars will relate to the theoretical, methodological and substantive issues outlined in the module aims. The seminar-based teaching and learning methods will enable students to develop employment-related skills such as interpersonal communication, oral presentation, teamwork, planning and organising, information literacy and problem solving. The presentaton of the research papers facilitates communication and presentation skills as well as the development of critical analysis.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

In writing their research paper, students will be expected to show an ability to collate and evaluate theoretical and empirical material. A chronological or descriptive narrative will not be deemed sufficient to pass this module.

General Notes

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