Political Science Y350: Politics of the European Union
Fall 2007 Craig Ortsey
TR 1:30-2:45 ortseyc@ipfw.edu
CM 210 Library 201C
Office Hours: TR 12:00-1:00 Phone: 481-6955
and by appointment
Course Description:
Shortly after World War II, the leaders of several Western European democratic countries decided that new international institutions were necessary to reduce the chances that another conflict would convulse the continent. Two immensely destructive wars in thirty years were sufficient to convince these individuals that, in the future, long-standing national rivalries could not be allowed to escalate beyond what diplomats could handle. From a modest agreement concerning trade in coal and steel, the arrangements that these individuals created have blossomed over the past fifty years into the European Union (EU). The member states of the EU now coordinate all of their economic and trade policies, share a common currency, have eliminated visa requirements for other member states’ citizens, send delegates to a European parliament, and are discussing the creation of a common foreign and military policy. Now that a number of Central and Eastern European countries have joined the EU, the organization is truly able to say that it is a “European” institution.
The European Union has been incredibly successful at promoting the economic well-being of its members, as well as fulfilling its original goal of preventing another pan-European war. However, the organization finds itself in the middle of multiple crises, including one about the ultimate purpose of the EU. The expansion of the EU from fifteen to twenty-seven member states strained the highly consensual decision-making structures of its institutions. Many of the recently admitted countries are much poorer than any of the EU-15 states, who worry about competing with the much lower cost of labor in, and subsidizing the infrastructure of, the new members. Further expansion into even poorer areas of Europe (including Turkey) is planned, but many current EU countries worry about financing the most recent accession round. Politicians from the “core” EU states want to deepen the level of political integration that has already been begun, but the publics in these states are already complaining loudly about the sacrifice of sovereignty that was necessary to achieve economic integration. The humiliating ratification failure of the EU constitutional treaty in 2005 crystallized these concerns and laid bare the elite-public split over this matter. In fact, the disputes over political integration and the “constitution” go to the heart of what the purpose of the EU should be. Should it become a European superstate to balance the hegemonic military, political, and economic power of the United States, or should it limit its activities to the fiscal and monetary realms and leave decisions about foreign policy to the member states?
By the conclusion of this class, we will have closely examined the multitude of arguments surrounding this complex question. In order to address it well, however, we must study the process of European integration to this point in time, as well as the institutions that comprise the EU, first. We will also examine some of the important economic, political and social issues that confront this organization. These issues will continue to trouble the European Union, regardless of whether it deepens its political integration in the future.
Course Textbooks:
The following textbooks, which are available for purchase at the IPFW bookstore, are required for all participants in this course:
Cini, Michelle (ed). 2007. European Union Politics (2nd ed). Oxford UP. London.
Dinan, Desmond. 2005. Ever Closer Union: An Introduction to European Integration (3rd ed). Lynne Rienner Press. Boulder.
Any additional readings for this class will be available on the Internet or placed in the university posting system for supplementary material, Reserves Express. You may also choose to read a news magazine like The Economist that covers European affairs closely for the course of this semester. All required reading assignments are to be completed by the day they are to be discussed in class in order to facilitate discussion and the in-class exercises.
Course Requirements:
The final grade will be based upon the following distribution:
10% class participation
15% short paper
20% midterm
35% research paper
20% final exam
Class participation--This portion of the grade consists of taking part in discussions about the material covered in the course, individual or group in-class writing exercises, and conscientious class attendance. The in-class exercises are not usually announced in advance and cannot be made up, so habitual attendance is strongly recommended. The questions asked in the writing exercises resemble those found on the exams, so good effort on them has both immediate and future rewards. Class participation counts as 10% of your final grade.
Short Paper--Despite the European Union’s successes in a number of policy areas, a significant minority of European politicians and political parties remain skeptical of the organization and its activities. Your job in this short (3-5 page) paper is to explain the origins Euroscepticism in one country, focusing on a particular politician’s or party’s objections to the EU and what role (if any) they played in the rejection of the constitutional treaty. A separate handout elucidating the details of this essay will be distributed closer to the due date. This assignment comprises 15% of your final grade in this class.
Exams--Both the midterm and comprehensive final exam will consist of identification (short essay) questions and at least one longer essay. The midterm (and perhaps the final exam, depending upon student performance) will include a short map identification section as well. All exams must be taken at the scheduled time unless other arrangements have been made with the instructor prior to the start time of the test (see below). Each exam is worth 20% of your final grade in this course.
Research Paper--A major focus of this class is the various social, political and economic issues that the European Union addresses. However, given the time constraints of a fifteen-week semester and the variety of interests possessed by the students in (and instructor of) this course, no issue is going to be examined in as much depth as possible. This assignment is a chance for you to satisfy your academic curiosity about an issue facing the European Union. You will choose one such problem and prepare a research paper of no fewer than fifteen pages on that topic. More information about this assignment will be distributed in a separate handout within the first few weeks of the course, but in any event it will be worth 35% of your final grade.
Class Policies:
Late assignments and make-up exams--All (outside) written assignments must be submitted at the beginning of class on the appropriate due date to receive full credit. A late assignment will be docked one full grade for each business day it is overdue, and no assignment will be accepted if it more than three business days late. No pardons from the above penalties or make-up tests will be given without proper documentation of a death in the immediate family, incarceration or extreme illness. Emergencies and accidents do occur, but no make-up test can be granted unless the instructor is notified by e-mail or phone prior to the start time of the test. If you are going to be absent from class for a university-sponsored function on the day of the midterm or final, please see the instructor well ahead of time so appropriate arrangements can be made for a substitute exam time.
Withdrawals and incompletes--If you must withdraw from the class after the drop deadline (October 26) or exceptional circumstances force you to take an incomplete, you must meet with the instructor so we can discuss the situation in detail. Otherwise, your grade for the course will be an F.
Grading--In order to pass this class, you must complete all of the major assignments (the two exams and both papers), and earn a passing grade on at least one of the two tests. In other words, passing students are not able to take a zero on any of these assignments.
Academic misconduct--No form of academic misconduct will be tolerated in this class. If the instructor discovers that plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, or any other form of misconduct has occurred on an exam or another assignment, the penalty will be an F for the course and (if the case so warrants) referral to the relevant academic authorities. Please consult the student handbook for the official definitions of the different forms of misconduct, as these interpretations will be followed to the letter. If you have any questions about this policy or whether something constitutes a violation, please contact the instructor as soon as possible.
Electronic devices--No electronic devices (see exceptions below) should be in your physical possession during lecture, especially on test days. Such devices include mobile phones, handheld gaming systems, and beepers; they must be turned off or muted and placed in your purse, pocket, or backpack before your arrival at class. Should one of these machines make noise during class, you must shut it off without delay. In emergency situations (sick relative, imminent birth), you may quietly leave the classroom to deal with the important message, however. Students may use a taping system to record lectures or take notes on a laptop computer or PDA, but only if these tools are not utilized for other purposes (e.g., surfing the Web, playing games, using an instant messaging service).
Classroom civility--Given the nature of the material covered in this course, we will often discuss sensitive subjects and individuals’ opinions on (and interpretations of) them will clash. The university is a place to debate and explore controversial material, so polite disagreement is welcome. However, I expect professionalism from everyone in the class; any intimidation, threats or bullying violate the student code and will be dealt with by the instructor in an appropriate manner. I also expect students to refrain from rude behavior such as reading the newspaper, working on other courses, listening to music, playing video games, or making snide comments about the class during lecture. For my part, I pledge to treat appropriate student contributions with respect, and encourage everyone to participate in discussion as far as they feel comfortable. You can read more about classroom civility at: www.ipfw.edu/senate/stu_code.htm.
Disputing grades--Students who believe that mistakes were made by the instructor in grading their work are entitled to dispute their score. However, you must allow a 24-hour grace period to elapse after receiving an assignment back before contacting the instructor about it and provide a written explanation (preferably by e-mail) as to what errors you feel were made. You should also accept that any regrading may result in a reduction of your overall score if the instructor finds errors not in your favor. Please refrain from raising individual or overall grading questions in class, as that is not the appropriate forum for this kind of discussion and I will not answer these questions if they are asked.
SSD students--Students who have documented cases with SSD should contact the instructor as soon as possible if they must make alternative arrangements to take exams.
IPFW Writing Center--The Writing Center can assist you in completing the written assignments for this class. Their consultants may help you brainstorm; develop and logically organize your ideas; learn strategies for a better writing style; and improve your documentation and proofreading skills. Since they are very busy during certain times of the semester, it is extremely important that you sign up for an appointment ahead of time at the Center (KT G19). You can also check their web site at www.ipfw.edu/casa/wc for their hours of operation, or call them at 481-5740 to arrange a meeting.
Calendar of Events: Please note that I reserve the right to make additions and deletions to this schedule as the semester progresses. Given the nature of the material that we are studying this semester, new and useful articles may appear as the semester progresses. Entries in italics can be located on Reserves Express.
Week 1: August 21, 23 Course Overview and Introduction
Dinan, Introduction; Cini, Ch. 1
Week 2: August 28, 30 Theories of International Relations and Organizations
Cini, Ch. 5-8
Week 3: September 4, 6 Early Development of the European Union
Dinan, Ch. 1, 2
Week 4: September 11, 13 Toward a Single Market
Dinan, Ch. 3-5; Cini, Ch. 16
Week 5: September 18, 20 The EU’s Legal Structure and the Constitutional Treaty
Dinan, Ch. 6; Cini, Ch. 4
Week 6: September 25, 27 EU Institutions 1
Dinan, Ch. 7-9
Week 7: October 2, 4 EU Institutions 2
Dinan, Ch. 10, 11; Bomberg and Stubb, Ch. 7
Executive Summary Due, October 4
Week 8: October 9, 11 Public Opinion and the EU
Cini, Ch. 13, 22, 23
Fall Break, No Class October 9
Week 9: October 16, 18 EU Accession and Enlargement
Cini, Ch. 26; Bomberg and Stubb, Ch. 9
Midterm, October 16
Week 10: October 23, 25 Monetary Union and the ECB
Dinan, Ch. 15; Cini, Ch. 20
Short Paper Due, October 25
Week 11: October 30, EU Economic and Trade Policy
November 1 Dinan, Ch. 13, 16
Week 12: November 6, 8 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), Regional Policy
Dinan, Ch. 12; Cini, Ch. 18, 21
Week 13: November 13, 15 Defense and Foreign Policy
Dinan, Ch. 17, 18
Week 14: November 20, 22 Research Paper and Presentation Due, November 20
Thanksgiving Break, No Class November 22
Week 15: November 27, 29 Justice and Home Affairs and Social Policy
Cini, Ch. 17, 19; Dinan, Ch. 14
Week 16: December 4, 6 The Future of the EU
Cini, Ch. 24, 27
Final Exam: Thursday December 13, 1:00-3:00 PM
Appendix 1: Helpful Web Pages
European Union: europa.eu.int/index_en.htm
European Commission: ec.europa.eu/index_en.htm
European Parliament: www.europarl.europa.eu/news/public/default_en.htm
European Court of Justice: curia.europa.eu/en/transitpage.htm
Committee of the Regions: www.cor.europa.eu/En/index.htm
EU in the US: www.eurunion.org/
Academic EU Studies: www.eurunion.org/delegati/ppa/academic.htm
EURES: europa.eu.int/eures/home.jsp?lang=en
EU Constitution Text: news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/09_01_05_constitution.pdf
EFTA: secretariat.efta.int/
NATO: www.nato.int/
Western European Union: www.weu.int/
Council of Europe: www.coe.int/T/e/Com/about_coe/