MODULE TITLE: POL2016 The Idea of Europe
Module Provider (AoU): Politics
Level: HE2
Subject (3 letters): POL
Number of Credits: 20
Module Co-ordinator: Dr Roberta Guerrina
Module Availability: Year Long
ASSESSMENT PATTERN
Unit(s) of Assessment
Weighting Towards Module
Mark
( %)
Wiki (group work component)
20%
Wiki (individual work component)
20%
Multiple Choice Test
10%
Formal Exam (2 hrs)
50%
Qualifying Condition(s)
Pre-requisite/Co-requisites
Level 1 BA Politics
Module Overview
This module seeks to introduce students to current debates about Europe, European
identity and the EU. It will evaluate how the EU has become accepted as the “idea of
Europe” for the 21st century. It will explore the intricacies of the process of European
integration and associated debates. It provides an overview of the development of
European politics from the post-war era to the Reform Treaty and latest rounds of
enlargement. It will also unpack the various permutations of the idea of Europe
embodied by the EU. In so doing, it will look at the values associated with Economic
Europe, Social Europe and Political Europe.
Module Aims
This module endeavours to present an overview of European integration and related
political structures. In this context it aims to:
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Introduce students to the study of European integration.
Introduce students to debates about the impact of the integration process to
European internal and external dynamics.
Consolidate students' knowledge and understanding of the process of
governance and its impact on socio-political dynamics by looking at the
process of European integration.
Develop students’ knowledge of current political theories by focusing on the
process of European integration and the academic theories that seek to
explain it.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Subject Specific LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of the module all students will be able to:
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Show a clear understanding of the historical forces underpinning the
development of European integration.
Evaluate current debates about European politics and structures.
Engage with a variety of theoretical approaches and apply them to the
analysis of specific policy areas.
Demonstrate understanding of the complexities of EU politics and
governance.
Generic LEARNING OUTCOMES and Skills
By the end of the module students will have acquired and/or developed the following
skills:
Cognitive Skills
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Critical and analytical skills.
Critical reflection of learning process.
Application of theoretical debates to policy analysis.
Transferable skills
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Writing skills.
IT skills for retrieval and presentation of information.
Research skills.
Practical skills

Time management and organisational skills.
MODULE CONTENT
Historical Background – This part of the module seeks to provide students with an
historical overview of the development of the Idea of Europe, from the GraecoRoman tradition to the European Union. The topics covered are likely to include:
Background
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History of the idea of Europe
History of European Integration
The EU as the idea of Europe
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The Institutional Framework of the EU
Theoretical approaches
The policy making process
Images of Europe
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Economic Europe – the Euro
Social Europe
Political Europe
Contested Issues and Debates
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European Law and the Treaties.
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European Institutions and the Democratic Deficit: restructuring Europe?
The EU as a system of governance.
European identity
The Constitution and the Future of the Union
Enlargement
METHODS OF TEACHING/LEARNING
Lectures, seminars, prescribed reading, independent learning.
SELECTED TEXTS/JOURNALS
Compulsory
Bache, I. & George, S. (2006) The Politics of the EU 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford
University
Press.
Nugent, N. (2006) The Government and Politics of the European Union. Basingstoke
and New York: Palgrave.
Recommended
Cini, M. (2007) European Union Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Dinan, D. (2004) Ever Close Union?, 3rd ed. Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave.
Hix, S. (2004) The Politics System of the European Union, 2nd ed. Basingstoke and
New
York:
Palgrave.
McCormick, J. (2002) Understanding the EU, 2nd ed. Basingstoke and New York:
Palgrave.
Other
Bomberg, E. & Stubb, A. (2003) The European Union: How does it work? Oxford:
Oxford
University
Press.
Richardson, J. (2001) European Union: Power and Policy Making. London and
New
York:
Routledge.
Rosemond, B. (2000) Theories of European Integration. Basingstoke and New York:
Palgrave