The European Union as a Global Actor

Recommended Prerequisites

NA

Teaching Methods

To achieve the learning outcomes, this curricular combines the expository method with more practical teaching methods, including the critical analysis and debate of recommended readings. The goal is to foster an active engagement of students in the classroom, thus providing a valuable basis to sustain their academic path. To the same purpose, students will develop relevant skills to conduct case-studies analysis and to elaborate academic essays.

Learning Outcomes

The curricular unit aims to provide the students with the theoretical and conceptual frameworks essential to assess the salience and performance of the EU, in its relations with others actors of the international system.

At the end of the semester, students must be able to:

1. Understand the evolution and salience of the EU as global actor

2. Identify the institutional architecture beyond the EU’s external action

3. Compare EU’s external action across several policy areas

4. Identify and explain the most relevant hurdles to EU’s external action and actorness

5. Understand external perceptions regarding EU’s actorness.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Introductory concepts: actors and actorness

2. The evolution of EU’s actorness: processes and institutions

3. EU’s identity and roles

4. The EU as an economic power and trade actor

5. The EU as a development and humanitarian actor

6. The EU’s leadership in environmental policy and climate change

7. The EU as regional actor: enlargement and European neighbourhood policy

8. The EU as security community and military actor: the renewed CFSP and CSDP

9. The external perceptions of the EU as a global actor. 

Head Lecturer(s)

Albertino Paulo Vila Maior Guimarães Monteiro

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Resolution Problems: 20.0%
Research work: 30.0%
Frequency: 50.0%

Bibliography

Bradford, A. (2020). The Brussels Effect: How the European Union Rules the World. Oxford.

Bretherton, C., & Vogler, J. (2006). The European Union as a Global Actor. Routledge.

Chaban, N., Niemann, A., & Speyer, J. (eds.) (2020). Changing Perceptions of the EU at Times of Brexit. Routledge.

Conceição-Heldt, E., & Meunier, S. (eds.) (2017). Speaking with a Single Voice: The EU as an effective actor in global governance? Routledge.

Duke, S. (2016). Europe as a Strong Global Actor; Challenges and Stategic Responses. Palgrave Macmillan.

Hill, C., Smith, M., & Vanhoonacker, S. (eds.) (2017). International Relations and the European Union (3ª ed.). Oxford.

Koops, J. A., & Macaj, G., (eds.) (2015). The European Union as Diplomatic Actor. Palgrave Macmillan.