IR 327: Europe: Forming a Union
Instructor: Prof. Margit Mayer
Fall 2005, MW 10.10-11.50
Office: HSS 133, Office Hours: Tu16:00-18:00
Tel: 338-2247, email: mayer@zedat.fu-berlin.de
TA: Amanda Shepard [amanda_shepard@tmail.com] or [amanda_shepard@tmail.com]
Course Description:
Europe is growing together, not only economically but also politically. After centuries of
conflict among the different European states we are now witnessing a dramatic political
change in the international relations among governments and economies of Europe.
Today the European Union is a unique international entity that has connected countries
that are, in many cases, former adversaries. It directly and deeply affects the lives of 375
million citizens and others beyond its borders. All aspects of political and economic life
in Europe have been touched by rules, regulations and ideas coming from the new
European Union headquarters. What does this mean for the power and legitimacy of
nation states? And what exactly is this new entity and how are its decisions made? Is the
EU just another version of ‘big government’ or is it a useful way of addressing common
European problems and aspirations?
Starting out with a brief introduction we will trace the historical development of
the EU, the functions of its various institutions and its policymaking processes. We will
then study several issues and cases that illustrate the integration process as well as its
impact and limits. Finally, we will discuss the future of European integration, the
enlargement to Eastern Europe and recent US-EU relations.
Texts:
Basil O’Neill Gowland, Richard Dunphy, 2000, The European Mosaic, Contemporary
Politics, Economics and Culture, London.
Hix, Simon, 2004, The Political System of the European Union, St. Martins Press, New
York.
All other texts such as articles, primary sources and book chapters are on e-reserve.
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Requirements and Grading:
This class is an upper undergraduate seminar. You need to keep up with all readings to
understand class lectures, discussions and presentations.
Class Participation: 20% -- attendance, discussion, paper outlines etc.
Presentation: 20% -- it is required that you schedule a meeting before your presentation.
The News Journal: 20% -- it is required that you regularly read at least one national US
newspaper, such as NY Times, Washington Post, LA Times, and a European newspaper
or weekly (such as the Economist, the Guardian, Financial Times or, depending on your
language skills, a newspaper such as Sueddeutsche Zeitung, El Pais or Le Monde). Start
a typed journal with at least one entry a week. Discuss questions related to the course and
cite evidence from one or several newspaper sources of that week. Keep an eye on how
different national perspectives inform newspaper reporting on specific issues. The journal
will be collected and graded twice: First date is October 17, second date of collection is
December 5 at the beginning of class. Your journal grade will be the median of the two
grading periods.
Midterm: 20% -- in class, essay and multiple-choice
Final: 20% -- 10 page paper, 1 ½ line spacing, plus full bibliography
Map-quiz -- it is required to pass the quiz. You can take the map-quiz as many times as
needed.
Course Policy:
You need to have a working SFSU email account (forward your email if you use another
address).
If you miss more than 3 classes unexcused your grade drops automatically by a letter
grade.
No late papers and paper outlines accepted.
Penalties for cheating and plagiarism are strict and range from a 0 or F on a particular
assignment through an F for the whole course (see University Catalog Policies). Don’t
even try it!
Schedule and Readings:
Date
August 24
Text/Author
Course
syllabus
Books/Chapter/Pages
content,
requirements,
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I. Foundations: The European States
August 29: Introduction
European Politics and Economies:
Gowland/Dunphy
Ch. 1, 2, 3
Gowland/Dunphy
Ch. 5
August 31: Introduction
September 5:
Labor Day (no classes)
II. EC/EU Development:
September 7:
Gowland/Dunphy
Ch. 6-8
September 12: The EU history through primary texts: Gowland/Dunphy Ch. 4,
Primary Sources on e-reserve (75-77, 146147), (60-61, 152, 231-232)
III. EU-Institutions
September 14: Executive Politics
Dinan
Ch. 8-9
September 19: Executive Politics
Hix
Ch. 2
September 21: Legislative Politics
Hix
Dinan
Ch. 3
Ch. 10
September 26: Judicial Politics
Primary Source (e-reserve): Costa v.
Enel (1964), Hix
Ch. 4
IV. Regulation, Representation and Democracy
September 28: Public Opinion and Social Cleavages
October 3: Elections and Parties
October 5:
Ch. 5
Hix
Ch. 6
Dinan
Gowland/Dunphy
Ch. 13
Ch. 10
MIDTERM
October 10: The Single Market
October 12: Redistribution
Hix
Hix
Primary Source: CAP, p. 180-181, 256
Ch.
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V. Case Studies:
October 17: The Policy Process
Wallace and Wallace,
Ch. 2.
Student Presentations begin:
October 19: Agriculture and Mad Cow Disease
NYT article, Dinan
Ch. 12
October 24: The Euro
Hix
Ch. 10
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Primary source: (on reserve) pp. 293295
October 26: Gender Equality
Ilona Ostner, Jane Lewis,
in: Leibfried/Pierson
Ch.
5
October 31: Citizenship
T. H. Marshall, Citizenship and
Social Class, in: Shafir, p. 93-111.
Jeffrey
Checkel,
2001,
The
Europeanization of Citizenship, in:
Cowles,
Caparaso,
Risse,
Transforming Europe.
November 2: Due: 2-page Outline of Paper
November 7: Immigration
Schengen-Agreement
Patrick Ireland, 1996, Asking For the
Moon: The Political Participation of
Immigrants in the EU, in:
Kourvetaris
November 9: Environmental Policy
Sbragia
in: Wallace and Wallace.
Ch.11,
November 14: Social Policy
Pierson, Leibfried,
in: Wallace and Wallace
Ch. 10,
November 16: Conclusion of the Case-studies:
Wallace,
in: Wallace and Wallace
Ch. 3,
Hand in 1 page (typed): Summarize your insights on EU policy systematically
VI. The Future of European Integration
November 21: Enlargement of the EU
Hix
Ch. 12
Reading on Eastern Europe, Turkey,
TBA
November 23: Due: 6-page full Paper-Outline including an annotated Bibliography
November 28: US-EU Relations I
Dinan
Ch. 18
November 30: Advising Day (no class)
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December 5: US-EU Relations II
Current conflicts (UN, Iraq,
Israel), R. Kaplan, C.
Kupchan (e-reserve)
December 7: Past, Present and Future: Where is the EU going? Rifkin, The European
Dream (e-reserve)
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Useful Websites: www.eurunion.org, www.europarl.eu.int, www.europa.eu.int
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