Power and Politics in the European Union

Recommended Prerequisites

Knowledge of the chief milestones of the process of European Integration and of the main theoretical debates on the EU. 

Teaching Methods

The curricular unit combines lecture-based classes, designed to give students the fundamental conceptual and analytical tools, with practical classes (problem-based learning), designed to foster students' active learning through in depth analysis of case studies and problem thinking and/or solving practical exercises. The goal is to build students' confidence and ability to address different types of practical exercises, while expanding their knowledge and understanding of the subject.

Learning Outcomes

The course aims to enhance students’ critical understanding of the EU as a political system, including its opportunities and limitations; highlight the variety of institutions, processes and actors involved in EU governance; as well as to stimulate active class participation and students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

 

At the end of the semester students should be able to:

1. Understand the EU as a political system

2. Understand and explain the role of institutional, governmental and non-governmental actors

3. Identify and understand different processes of policy-making and relate them with different types of policies and competences

4. Understand and engage in debates on institutional, policy, democratic and legitimacy challenges resulting from the characteristics of the EU political system.

5. Acknowledge the uniqueness of the EU political system.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. EU political system and institutions: an overview

2. EU decision-making: history-making, policy-setting and policy-shaping

3. European Elections, Political Competition and Parties in the EU

4. Interest representation and Lobby in the EU

5. Regulatory, (re)distributive, security and global policies

6. EU’s own resources: budget limitations

7. Single currency as a federating leverage: potential and limits

8. Differentiated integration in the EU: advantages and pitfalls.

Head Lecturer(s)

Isabel Anunciação Ferraz Camisão

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Resolution Problems: 40.0%
Research work: 60.0%

Bibliography

Bressanelli, E., & Chelotti, N. (2020). The European Parliament in the Contested Union: Power and Influence Post-Lisbon. Routledge.

Cini, M., & Borragán, N. (2019). European Union Politics (6th ed.). OUP. 

Costa, O., & Brack, N. (2019). How the EU Really Works? (2nd ed.). Routledge.

Greenwood, J. (2017). Interest Representation in the EU (4th ed.). Palgrave.

Kröger, S. (2014). Political Representation in the European Union: Still democratic in times of crisis?. Routledge.

Kyriakos, D. (Ed.). (2015). The European Union in Crisis. Explorations in Representation and Democratic Legitimacy. Springer.

Magone, J. (2015). Routledge Handbook of the European Politics. Routledge.

Schimmelfennig, F., & Winzen, T. (2020). Ever looser Union? Differentiated European Integration. OUP Oxford.

Schmidt, V. (2020). Europe’s Crisis of Legitimacy: Governing by Rules and Ruling by Numbers in the Eurozone. OUP.

Tömmel, I., & Verdun, A. (2019). Political Leadership in the European Union. Routledge.