GBST 222
European Union Politics Fall 2015
Division II
Cross-listed PSCI 221
This is not the current course catalog

European Union Politics focuses on the origins and developments of the European Union (EU). Based on its 28 member states of democratically elected governments, the EU may represent a normative power in European and international politics, but also a more or less coherent foreign policy actor in the areas of democracy, development, humanitarian assistance, security and trade. The EU is rooted in the ashes of the Second World War with the overall purpose to maintain peace and order in Europe. Since then, the EU has widened in number of member states, including former post-communist Europe, and deepened to include numerous of policy-areas beyond security. Today, the EU is a unique regional integration project; a hybrid of intergovernmentalism and supranationalism, with capability to coordinate interests and politics of the member states, but also promoting ´European´ interests and values abroad. This course is designed to introduce you to the (a) historical developments of the EU, (b) the EU institutions and decision-making procedures, (c) the EU policy areas and the interests and influences of the EU member-states and (d) the role of the EU in international politics.