Doel vak

Knowledge and understanding – The student has acquired knowledge and
understanding of:
(1) the history of European integration and the main theories trying to
understand and explain the process of European unification;
(2) the institutional structure of and politics within European Union
and how it interacts with member states;
(3) key aspects of EU policy making in the internal and external arena.

(2) Application – The student has acquired the competences to:
(4) recognise the key historical milestones of European integration and
the current challenges the EU faces currently when it comes to its
institutional and political make-up;
(5) apply a variety of theoretical approaches to understand and explain
past and current developments.

Making judgements – The student is able to:
(6) critically reflect upon the European integration process, the EU's
institutions and policies as well as the way democracy functions at the
EU level.

Communication – The student has acquired the skills to:
(7) communicate effectively about key topics in the study of the EU
through an essay and exam questions.

Inhoud vak

This course familiarizes students to the way the EU operates, its
institutional architecture, its history, and its modes of
decision-making. The course highlights how EU decision-making affects
domestic politics, whilst at the same time is situated in a broader,
international context. It will introduce students to the key theoretical
debates about the European integration process (neo-functionalism,
liberal intergouvernmentalism, etc.), and it will pay special attention
to the main characteristics of EU decision-making. The theoretical and
practical insights will then be applied in a number of selected policy
domains involve both policy making within the EU (e.g. monetary,
agriculture, environmental policy) and outside the EU, that is to say
the EU's engagement in the global realm (e.g. enlargement, trade,
security).

Onderwijsvorm

Lectures and tutorials.

Toetsvorm

Exam and written assignment.

Literatuur

Hix, S. & B. Høyland (2011). The Political System of the European Union.
Third Edition, London: MacMillan Education.
Additional articles to be announced in the course manual (see CANVAS).

Doelgroep

2nd year Bachelor students in Political Science and Bestuur &
Organisatie
(Afstudeerrichting Bestuurswetenschappen)
Also open as an elective course for VU-students and Exchange students.

Afwijkende intekenprocedure

In this course you can not enroll yourself for the tutorials, but you will be assigned by the course coordinator. At the latest in the first week of the course you will find to which tutorial you are assigned in your personal schedule in VUnet. Note: You do have to register for the course, with the corresponding parts!

Toelichting Canvas

For more information on the course and most recent updates, please visit
the Canvas site.