Institutions and Politics of the European Union
Code: 106199Credits: 6
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Contemporary History, Politics and Economics | OB | 3 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Irina Ciornei
- Email :
- irina.ciornei@uab.cat
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
Students are assumed to know, at least, the concepts, theories and knowledge covered in the courses 'Political Institutions' (1st year) and 'Public Administration' (2nd year).
Students are assumed to have adequate oral and written skills in English. They are also assumed to regularly read newspapers, blogs, and other regular sources of information.
Objectives
The course's main objective is that students acquire basic theoretical and empirical knowledge of the European Union and learn the capacities to use it in the analysis and interpretation of European political processes. The most specific objectives are: first, learning the historical process of European integration, the evolution and current functioning of the main political institutions and the inter-institutional relations; secondly, learning the main political dynamics and decisionmaking processes of the EU through the analysis of some of the most relevant recent political events at European level; third, getting used to the institutional sources of data on the European Union and learning how to use them to conduct empirical studies; finally, knowing the main theoretical approaches that currently dominate the field of European studies.
Learning outcomes
- Demonstrate capacity to adapt to changing environments.
- Organise work in relation to good time management and planning.
- Understand the agents of the economic environment and the dynamics of interaction between private agents, local, national and supranational institutions in an international context.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the structure and functioning of the European Union, its main institutions, political actors and means of integration.
- Describe the main elements that characterise international global society (1945-2000).
- Critically evaluate the impacts of globalisation in different areas: security, environment, human rights, migrations and peace.
- Demonstrate the capacity for oral and written communication in Catalan, Spanish and English which allows the work to be summarised and presented orally and in writing.
- Demonstrate the capacity to continue working in the future autonomously gaining a deeper understanding of the knowledge acquired or embarking on new areas of knowledge.
- Carry out analyses to provide concepts and tools for measuring poverty, understand its causes and consequences and evaluate the impact of policies on its reduction.
- Understand the main aspects of globalisation.
- Demonstrate the capacity for oral and written communication at an advanced level of English using complex concepts.
- Demonstrate initiative and the capacity to work autonomously when the situation requires.
- Lead multidisciplinary and multicultural teams, implement new projects, coordinate, negotiate and manage conflicts.
- Make decisions in situations of uncertainty and show an enterprising and innovative spirit.
- Select and generate the information necessary for each problem, analyse it and make decisions accordingly.
Contents
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading texts | 30 | 1.2 | 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10 |
| Master classes with ICT support and group discussion | 33 | 1.32 | 3, 4, 10 |
| Tutoring | 15 | 0.6 | 1, 11, 13, 14 |
| Seminars and practical classes | 16.5 | 0.66 | 7, 11, 15 |
| Individual study | 30 | 1.2 | 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12 |
| Team work | 15 | 0.6 | 1, 2, 13, 14, 15 |
The methodology of the Institutions and Politics of the European Union combines various training activities designed so that the student reaches the learning outcomes. These include autonomous, directed and supervised activities. The autonomous activities include the individual study (30 hours), the reading of texts (30 hours) and the preparation of works in groups (15 hours). The directed activities include master sessions (33 hours), seminars and practical sessions (16,5 hours). Supervised activities include tutorized follow-up (15 hours).
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written exam | 50% | 1.5 | 0.06 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 |
| Seminar participation and assessment | 30% | 7.5 | 0.3 | 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 |
| Mid-term exam | 20% | 1.5 | 0.06 | 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10 |
Continued avaluation
The evaluation of the subject represents approximately 5% of the total hours, equivalent to around 7.5 hours.
The evaluation will consist of the following evidence from the students:
- Written examination of knowledge about the subject: 50% of the final mark.
- Seminar evaluation: 30%
Important considerations:
The exam will take place at the end of the semester. During the first day of the course, the teaching staff will inform the students of the date of the final exam and the deadline for each of the pieces of evidence
The schedule of sessions, activities and reading tests will be made public during the first days of class
The student will receive the grade of \"Not assessable\" as long as he has not delivered more than 1/3 of the assessment activities.
Students who have failed the assessment and taken tests equivalent to two-thirds of their grade will have the opportunity to participate in a make-up activity on the date determined by the Faculty, after the end of the second semester. Under no circumstances may students participate in make-up activities to raise their grade.
If plagiarism is detected in the submitted work, the sanction will be a failing grade for the subject. In the Virtual Campus you can consult the Guide on How to Cite and How to Avoid Plagiarism
Single assessment
The single assessment of the subject represents approximately 5% of total hours, equivalent to around 7.5 hours.The single assessment will consist of the following evidence from the students:
- Final exam: 50% of the final grade.
- Mid-term exam: 20% of the final mark
- Seminar evaluation: 30% of the final grade
Important considerations:All deliveries will be made on the same day at the end of the semester, which will coincide with the day set by the teaching staff for the final exam and which will be made public in sufficient advance.Students who have not passed the final EXAM will have the opportunity to take the remedial activity. In other words, they will be able to retake the suspended exam on the day determined by the Faculty, having finished the academic period of the second semester. The single assessment resit exam will include the three elements of the single assessment described above.The student will receive the grade of \"Not assessable\" as long as he has not delivered more than 1/3 of the assessment activities.Under no circumstances will students be able to participate in remedial activities to improve their grades. None of the other assessable activities are recoverable.If plagiarism is detected in the submitted work, the sanction will be a failing grade for the subject. In the Virtual Campus you can consult the Guide on How to Cite and How to Avoid Plagiarism
Erasmus and exchange students who request to advance an exam must present a document from their home university justifying their request
This subject allows the use of AI technologies exclusively for support tasks such as bibliographic or content-based searches, text correction or translations.
The student must clearly (i) identify which parts have been generated using AI technology; (ii) specify the tools used; and (iii) include a critical reflection on how these have influenced the process and final outcome of the activity.
Lack of transparency regarding the use of AI in the assessed activity will be considered academic dishonesty; the corresponding grade may be lowered, or the work may even be awarded a zero. In cases of greater infringement, more serious action may be taken.
Bibliography
Core readings
Bomberg, Elizabeth, John Peterson & Alexander Stubb (eds) (2008), The European Union: How Does it Work?, Oxford University Press.
Cini, Michelle & Nieves Pérez-Solórzano Borragán (2019), European Union Politics, Oxford University Press, pp. 157–175.
Dinan, Desmond (2005), Ever Closer Union: An Introduction to European Integration, Boulder (CO): Lynne Rienner.
Hix, Simon & Bjørn Høyland (2022), El Sistema Político de la Unión Europea, McGraw Hill.
Hix, Simon & Bjørn Høyland (2022), The Political System of the European Union, McGraw Hill. https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.are.uab.cat/lib/uab/detail.action?pq-origsite=primo&docID=6992939
Staab, Andreas (2011), European Union Explained: Institutions, Actors, Global Impact (2nd edition), Indiana University Press. https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.are.uab.cat/lib/UAB/detail.action?docID=731393
Additional readings
Anghel, Veronica & Erik Jones (2023), 'Is Europe really forged through crisis? Pandemic EU and the Russia–Ukraine war', Journal of European Public Policy, 30:4, 766–786, DOI: 10.1080/13501763.2022.2140820
Ares, Cristina & Luis Bouza García (2019), Política de la Unión Europea. Crisis y continuidad, Madrid: Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas.
Cini, Michelle (ed.) (2009), European Union Politics, Oxford University Press.
Dinan, Desmond (2008), "Fifty Years of European Integration," Fordham International Law Journal, 31/5, pp. 1118–1142.
Genschel, Philipp (2022), 'Bellicist integration? The war in Ukraine, the European Union and core state powers', Journal of European Public Policy, 29:12, 1885–1900, DOI: 10.1080/13501763.2022.2141823
Giuli, Marco & Sebastian Oberthür (2023), 'Third time lucky? Reconciling EU climate and external energy policy during energy security crises', Journal of European Integration, 45:3, 395–412, DOI: 10.1080/07036337.2023.2190588
Morata, Francesc (1998), La Unión Europea, Barcelona: Ariel. Caps. 1, 2.
Moravcsik, Andrew (1998), The Choice for Europe: Social Purpose and State Power from Messina to Maastricht, Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
Nelsen, Brent F. & Alexander Stubb (eds) (2003), The European Union: Readings on the Theory and Practice of European Integration, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 145–149.
Nugent, Neill (2003), The Government and Politics of the European Union, Palgrave Macmillan.
Wallace, Helen, Mark Pollack & Alasdair Young (eds) (2010), Policy-Making in the European Union, Oxford University Press, 6th ed.
Zestos, George K. & Jason M. Benedict (2018), European Monetary Integration: A History, Encyclopedia of International Economics and Global Trade. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/George-Zestos/publication/325070683_European_Monetary_Integration_A_History/links/5d715d79299bf1cb808abaa5/European-Monetary-Integration-A-History.pdf
Zeitlin, Jonathan, Francesco Nicoli & Brigid Laffan (2019), 'Introduction: the European Union beyond the polycrisis? Integration and politicization in an age of shifting cleavages', Journal of European Public Policy, 26(7): 963–976. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/13501763.2019.1619803
Institutional websites:
Portal de la UE: http://europa.eu/
Parlament Europeu: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/public/default_en.htm?redirection
Consell Europeu: http://europa.eu/about-eu/institutions-bodies/european-council/index_es.htm
Consell de la UE: http://consilium.europa.eu/showPage.ASP?lang=es
Comissió Europea: http://ec.europa.eu/index_es.htm
Tribunalde Justícia de la UE: http://europa.eu/about-eu/institutions-bodies/court-justice/index_es.htm
Observatori Legislatiu de la UE: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/home/home.do
Web European Parliament on EU institutions: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/factsheets/en/section/187/las-instituciones-y-los-organos-de-la-union-europea
EUR-Lex: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/homepage.html?locale=es
Website about the EU:
Politico: https://www.politico.eu/
Eurobserver: http://www.euobserver.com
Eupolitix: http://www.eupolitics.com
Software
excel
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TE) Theory | 50 | English | second semester | afternoon |
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 50 | English | second semester | morning-mixed |