Module Identifier IPM0160  
Module Title EUROPEAN UNION POLITICS  
Academic Year 2001/2002  
Co-ordinator Mr Thomas Christiansen  
Semester Semester 2 (Taught over 2 semesters)  
Course delivery Seminar   1 x two hour seminar per week over two semesters  
Assessment Essay   2 x 3,000 word essays - 25% each   50%  
  Exam   3 Hours   50%  

Objectives


After completion of this course students should have a grounded understanding of the development and functioning of the European Union. Participants should be able to show, firstly, that they are familiar with the historical, institutional and legal foundations of EU politics. Secondly, they should have awareness of the issues involved in the relationship between Member States and supranational institutions. Thirdly, students should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the conceptual issues involved in the development of a European level of governance. Finally, students will be expected to have developed significant research, writing and presentational skills

Aims


This module is the core module for students on the MScEcon Degree or Diploma (S Pathway) in Politics of the European Union


The module will develop students' understanding of the politics of the European Union by examining both the broader historical and theoretical context within which European integration has occurred and the current policies and institutions of the Union. In the first half of the course, the focus will be on locating European unity within an understanding of the history of the continent, its' evolving political-economy and the development of the ideas and ideals that have helped promote integration. In the second half, the focus will shift to institutional dynamics and the EU policy process. The discussion here will concentrate on the relationships between European institutions, Member States governments, political parties, interest groups and social movements, and the implications of these relationships for major EU policies.