Governance of the European Union
A.Y. 2023/2024
Learning objectives
The European Union is a key actor in shaping the international political economy and the relations between states and markets. It is therefore central to comprehending the interactions between economics and politics.
The primary objectives of this module is to provide a detailed understanding of how the European Union and the main political processes within it operate, to convey this knowledge through the theoretical foundations of political science, and to enable students to develop analytical and theoretical skills that can be transferred directly into a non-academic environment or that provide the foundations for further academic research.
The module will discuss the design of EU treaties, the adoption of policies, their implementation and adjudication. It will cover all major EU institutions and policies. The module will also rely on groups presentations of academic papers and on the writing of essays, in order to facilitate the understanding of the module's substantive topics and of the analytical tools employed in political science.
The primary objectives of this module is to provide a detailed understanding of how the European Union and the main political processes within it operate, to convey this knowledge through the theoretical foundations of political science, and to enable students to develop analytical and theoretical skills that can be transferred directly into a non-academic environment or that provide the foundations for further academic research.
The module will discuss the design of EU treaties, the adoption of policies, their implementation and adjudication. It will cover all major EU institutions and policies. The module will also rely on groups presentations of academic papers and on the writing of essays, in order to facilitate the understanding of the module's substantive topics and of the analytical tools employed in political science.
Expected learning outcomes
By the end of the course, the students will be able to: a) understand the institutional structure of the European Union, b) understand core processes of institutional, input and output politics in the Union, c) interpret this knowledge theoretically and analytically through the main theories in political science, d) assess critically empirical evidence, e) present concisely academic theories and arguments to an audience, f) review and convey academic findings and analyses concisely through essays and presentations, g) develop skills to work in a team, and f) develop positive and normative interpretations of important political questions facing the EU leaders.
The emphasis assigned to the substantive knowledge of EU politics and to analytical tools to interpret it, as well as the development of critical skills and communicative abilities to comprehend and convey key theories and findings, via presentations, essays and exams, will allow students to develop an independent understanding of these phenomena which will be relevant for their future career.
The emphasis assigned to the substantive knowledge of EU politics and to analytical tools to interpret it, as well as the development of critical skills and communicative abilities to comprehend and convey key theories and findings, via presentations, essays and exams, will allow students to develop an independent understanding of these phenomena which will be relevant for their future career.
Lesson period: Second trimester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second trimester
Course syllabus
Introduction
History, politics and policies
Constitutional Politics: Understanding (Treaty) negotiations (bargaining theory)
Legislative Politics: Council of Ministers and European Parliament (institutional theory and spatial theory of voting)
Executive Politics: European Commission and agencies (delegation theory)
Executive Politics: National Administrations (compliance theory)
Judicial Politics (delegation theory II)
European Party System, Parties, Elections (theory of party formation, representation and voting behaviour)
Public Opinion and the European Union (theory of identity formation)
Interests Groups and the Policy Process (collective action theory)
Regulation of the Single Market, Social and Environmental Policies (regulation theory)
Economic and Monetary Union (theory of credible commitments)
Agricultural Policy, Regional Policy and the Budget (theory of distribution)
Justice and Home Affairs and Interior Policies (identity and security theory)
The European Union in the World (international relations theory)
History, politics and policies
Constitutional Politics: Understanding (Treaty) negotiations (bargaining theory)
Legislative Politics: Council of Ministers and European Parliament (institutional theory and spatial theory of voting)
Executive Politics: European Commission and agencies (delegation theory)
Executive Politics: National Administrations (compliance theory)
Judicial Politics (delegation theory II)
European Party System, Parties, Elections (theory of party formation, representation and voting behaviour)
Public Opinion and the European Union (theory of identity formation)
Interests Groups and the Policy Process (collective action theory)
Regulation of the Single Market, Social and Environmental Policies (regulation theory)
Economic and Monetary Union (theory of credible commitments)
Agricultural Policy, Regional Policy and the Budget (theory of distribution)
Justice and Home Affairs and Interior Policies (identity and security theory)
The European Union in the World (international relations theory)
Prerequisites for admission
There are no prerequisites other than those required for admission to the degree course
Teaching methods
The main teaching method consists of lectures, seminars with invited speakers and student presentations of articles. Students will be organized in small groups and will present an academic article to the whole classroom.
Teaching Resources
The core course material consists of a) Hix, Simon and Bjørn Høyland (2022) The Political System of the European Union, Fourth edition, London: Bloomsbury Publishing; b) lecture slides, c) compulsory journal articles (assigned after the lectures), d) optional journal articles (assigned after the lectures).
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam evaluates the knowledge of the topics covered in the course and the analytical skills developed during the course. For attending students, learning will normally be assessed on the basis of a group presentation of an academic article (worth 5 points out of 33 - 30 cum laude), a group essay (worth 10 points out of 33) and a final examination (worth 18 points out of 33). We will discuss a list of topics for the presentation and the essay in class. The exam is a written test which usually consists of a part with about 11 multiple choice questions, which contribute 11 points to the final mark, and three open questions worth 7 points each, for a sum total of 33 points (equivalent to 30 cum laude). Wrong answers are penalized. Non-attending students must take a final exam that covers all teaching material plus several additional articles. The duration of each exam is one hour and thirty minutes. A passing mark ranges from 18 to 30 cum laude. Dictionaries, glossaries and calculators can be used. The results of the group presentation and essay are communicated through Ariel.
The presentations will be evaluated on the basis of timekeeping, understanding of the article, delivery of its content, audience interaction and critique of the article. The essay (between 5000 and 7000 words) is evaluated on the extent it offers a critical review of the literature on the chosen topic.
The presentations will be evaluated on the basis of timekeeping, understanding of the article, delivery of its content, audience interaction and critique of the article. The essay (between 5000 and 7000 words) is evaluated on the extent it offers a critical review of the literature on the chosen topic.
Educational website(s)
Professor(s)
Reception:
Tuesday (h.14:00-17:00) (office, MsTeams or Skype id: franchinocolla)
Dipartimento di Scienze Sociali e Politiche. Floor 3, Room 309