European Union: before and after Brexit

This course invites learners to explore contemporary European Union politics. Studying the EU is now more interesting than ever. While the United Kingdom’s government is working towards a realignment with the Union, decision makers in Brussels are seeking to find solutions to unprecedented internal and external challenges. In order to understand current developments, it is important to appreciate the history of and rationale for European integration which helps with answering the core questions: Why do we even have a European Union, what is its purpose and which future is it heading to?

In an attempt to address these questions, we will be trying to define the concept of Europe and trace its political, historical and wider cultural context. To that end the initial sessions will offer a historical summary to illustrate the vision carved out by the generation of founding fathers in the immediate aftermath of World War II, the establishment of the European Economic Community in the 1950s and the evolution of the institutions in Brussels. We assess the Union’s executive and legislative legitimacy and review recurrent criticisms of a “democratic deficit.” This debate will allow us to familiarize ourselves with the dynamics of party politics, ongoing reforms of European institutions and contentious decision-making processes. We will be reminded that European developments always take place against a backdrop of national politics which we will have occasion to zoom in on. More broadly, learners will take note of the main theories that account for the emergence of supranational and inter-governmental structures.

We cast light on how national governments try to influence EU decision-making. Also, we will address Europe’s political economy by discussing the world’s largest single market and the difficulties the European currency, Euro, has been facing. Moving on, we take some time to assess how different EU member states adapt to or reject further EU integration. During this course we will cover recent crises the block of 27 had to deal with: the UK’s Brexit decision, the challenges posed by migration, the need to balance environmental policies with economic necessities, and the response to Russia’s military attack on Ukraine. In short, we will attempt to understand themes that have engulfed the community of 27 in the past and are likely to place strain on the institutions and their ability to function cohesively in years to come.

What will we cover?

Post 1945: The origins of the European Union

1960s – 1980s: A community between stagnation and growth

1990s – 2020s: Crisis after crisis

Explaining European integration: Between Federalism, Functionalism and Euroscepticism

Commission, Council and Parliament: Who is calling the shots?

The final arbiter: The European Court of Justice

Interests at stake: Lobbying in Brussels

The risky experiment: Monetary Union

Moonshot projects: Green Deal and Covid Recovery

A world of enemies and friends: Brexit and foreign policy making

What will I achieve?

By the end of this course you should ...

understand the historical roots of contemporary European politics;

appreciate the function of the EU’s political institutions;

be familiar with the interests and ideas that shape European politics;

be able to identify the central debates and conflicts in contemporary European policy making;

have developed the skills to critically analyze the relationship between European politics and its political economy.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

Some background knowledge about current debates in politics would be useful but is not essential. There will be core readings provided to students digitally before lessons so that everyone can familiarize themselves with the themes to be explored and discussed in each session. An open mind and a willingness to listen to and think about views with which you do not always agree with are more important than specific levels of skills.