PSCI6307 - The Politics of European Integration

PSCI 6307 The Politics of European Integration (3 semester credit hours) This graduate seminar will focus on history, institutions, contemporary issues, and future of the European Union (EU). Students will first explore the normative and strategic foundations of the European Union through the various theoretical lenses provided in the scholarly literature. Then, students will learn about the interactions among the various institutions of the EU including the Commission, Council, and Court of Justice. Students will also engage with the scholarly literature on European monetary integration and discuss the merits and drawbacks of the euro. The seminar will additionally guide students through the ideologies of euroskepticism and contemporary democratic decline of some of the EU member states. The seminar will conclude by having the class confront the question of whether the EU is a suitable organization for the promotion of liberal democracy and whether the EU will continue to function well into the 21st century. (3-0) Y