Dr Martin Mik Module leader
	Optional module
	15 CATS
	Term 2
	10 weeks | 1 x 2 hour class per week
	Availability/priority: Liberal Arts and GSD, Erasmus Liberal Arts exchange and Warwick first-year students
	Moodle Platform »

The European Union presents a paradox: on the one hand it has yielded unprecedented social and economic integration. Yet on the other hand, recent controversies such as the UK’s exit in 2020, following the 2016 referendum, have cast into stark relief the frictions present in the Union. In order to understand how the European Union can be at once a positive force, yet simultaneously problematic for many of its citizens, this module provides you with an in-depth understanding of its origins and institutions, theories of European integration, milestones in its development, and some of the key issues the Union currently faces.

Principal Aims

• To develop an understanding of the European Union, its origins, institutions, actors, purposes, processes, and functions;
• To identify key theories of European integration and understand their basic principles;
• To develop the ability to interpret the European Union from different theoretical perspectives.

Principal Learning Outcomes

By the end of the module, you will have:

• Acquired an understanding of theories and approaches to European integration;
• Demonstrated the understanding of the development of the EU and its institutions;
• Examined the challenges associated with European integration, e.g. the democratic deficit, and the responses to those;
• Developed your ability to construct arguments based on a selected theory and defend your choice of theory;
• Researched and critically evaluated ideas and arguments; and
• Demonstrated the ability to communicate complex ideas and problems clearly and succinctly.

Syllabus

1. European Integration: Milestones (Enlargements and Treaties)
2. Explaining the EU: Theories of European integration
3. The European Commission
4. The Council of Ministers and the European Council
5. The European Parliament
6. The European Court of Justice
7. The EU Political System and the Democratic Deficit
8. EU member states – relations between the EU and its member states
9. Political Parties and Interest Representation in the European Union
10. Key issues facing the EU

Assessment

Coursework	Policy Brief 1 (500 words) (10%) Policy Brief 2 (1000 words) (20%) Essay (2000 words) (30%)
Exam	2 hour exam (40%)

Illustrative Bibliography

Key Texts

Cini, M. and N. Perez-Solorzano Borragan (2016), European Union Politics. 5th edition, Oxford: OUP.

Dinan, D. (2014), Origins and Evolution of the European Union, 2nd edition. Oxford: OUP.

Hodson, D. and J. Peterson (2017), The Institutions of the European Union. 4th edition, Oxford: OUP.

Kenealy, D., J. Peterson, and R. Corbett (2015), The European Union: How does it work? 4th edition, Oxford: OUP.

Wallace, H., M. A. Pollack, and A. R. Young (2015), Policy-Making in the European Union. 7th edition, Oxford: OUP.

Integration Theories

Rosamond, B. (2000), Theories of European Integration. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Saurugger, S. (2013), Theoretical Approaches to European Integration. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Wiener, A., and Diez, T. (2009), European Integration Theory. Oxford and New York, Oxford University Press.

Constructivism

Jupille, J., Caporaso, J.A., and Checkel, J. (2003), ‘Integrating Institutions: Rationalism, Constructivism, and the Study of the European Union’, Comparative Political Studies, 36/1-2: 7-40.

Risse, T. (2009), ‘Social Constructivism and European Integration’, in A. Wiener and T. Diez (eds.), European Integration Theory, 2nd edition, Oxford: OUP, 144-61.

Schimmelfenning, F. (2012), ‘Constructivist Perspectives’, in E. Jones, A. Menon, and S. Weatherill (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of the European Union, Oxford: OUP, 34-47.

Institutionalist Theory

Peters, B.G. (2011), Institutional Theory in Political Science, 3rd edition, New York: Continuum.

Pollack, M.A. (2009), ‘The New Institutionalism and European Integration’, in: A. Wiener and T. Diez (eds.), European Integration Theory, 2nd edition, Oxford: OUP, 125-43.

Intergovernmentalism

Bickerton, C.J., Hodson, D., and Puetter, U. (eds.) (2015), The New Intergovernmentalism: States and Supranational Actors in the Post-Maastricht Era, Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press.

Liberal Intergovernmentalism

Moravcsik, A. (1998), The Choice for Europe: Social Purpose and State Power from Messina to Maastricht, Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

Moravcsik, A., and Schimmelfennig, F. (2009), ‘Liberal Intergovernmentalism’, in: A. Wiener and T. Diez (eds.), European Integration Theory, 2nd edition, Oxford: OUP, 67-87.

Neo-Functionalism

Sandholtz, W., and Stone Sweet, A. (2012), ‘Neo-Functionalism and Supranational Governance’, in E. Jones, A. Menon, and S. Weatherill (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of the European Union, Oxford: OUP, 18-33.

Governance

Scharpf, F.W. (1999), Governing in Europe: Democratic and Effective? Oxford: OUP.

Hix, S., and Hoyland, B. (2011), The Political System of the European Union, 3rd edition. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Hooghe, L, and Marks, G. (2001), Multi-Level Governance and European Integration, Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.

Jachtenfuchs, M. (2007), ‘The European Union as a Polity (II)’, in K.E. Jorgensen, MA Pollack, and B. Rosamond (eds.), The Handbook of European Union Politics (London: Sage), 159-73.

Institutions

Dinand, D. (2004), Europe Recast: A History of European Union. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Hix, S., and Hoyland, B. (2011), The Political System of the European Union, 3rd edition, Basingstoke: Palgrave

Nugent, N. (2010), The Government and Politics of the European Union, 7th edition, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan

Peterson, J., and Shackleton, M. (eds.) (2012), The Institutions of the European Union, 3rd edition. Oxford: OUP.

Rittberger, R. (2001), ‘Which institutions for post-war Europe? Explaining the institutional design of Europe’s first Community’, Journal of European Public Policy, 8/5: 673-708.

Van Middelaar, L. (2013), The Passage to Europe: How a Continent Became a Union, New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

EP

Corbett, R., Jacobs, F., Neveille, D., and Shackleton, M. (2016), The European Parliament, 9th edition, London: John Harper.

Hix, S., Noury, A., and Roland, G. (2007), Democratic Politics in the European Parliament, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Judge, D., and Earnshaw, D. (2008) The European Parliament, 2nd edition, London: Palgrave Macmillan.

RInge, N. (2010), Who Decides, and How? Preferences, Uncertainty, and Policy Choice in the European Parliament (Oxford: Oxford University Press).

Rittberger, B. (2005), Building Europe’s Parliament: Democratic Representation beyond the Nation-State (Oxford: Oxford University Press).

ECJ

Adams, M., de Waele, H, and Meeusen, J. (2013), Judging Europe’s Judges: The Legitimacy of the Case Law of the European Court of Justice (Oxford: Hart).

Alter, K.J. (2001), Establishing the Supremacy of European Law (Oxford and New York: OUP).

Alter, K.J. (2009), The European Court’s Political Power: Selected Essays, Oxford: OUP.

Burrows, N., and Greaves, R. (2007) The Advocates General and EC Law (Oxford: OUP).

Craig, P., and de Burca, G. (2015) EU Law: Text, Cases and Material (6th edition, Oxford: OUP).

Dehousse, R. (1998), The European Court of Justice: The Politics of Judicial Integration, Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave.

Lock, T. (2015), The European Court of Justice and International Courts (Oxford: OUP).

Stone Sweet, A. (2000), Governing with Judges: Constitutional Politics in Europe, Oxford: OUP.

Council of Ministers

Hayes-Renshaw, F., and Wallace, H. (2006), The Council of Ministers, 2nd edition, Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave.

Naurin, D., and Wallace, H. (eds.) (2008), Unveiling the Council of the European Union: Games Governments Play in Brussels. London: Macmillan.

Novak, S. (2013), ‘The silence of ministers. Consensus and blame avoidance in the Council of the European Union’, Journal of Common Market Studies, 51/6: 1091-1107.

Puetter, U. (2014), The European Council and the Council: New Intergovernmentalism and Institutional Change, Oxford: OUP.

Roederer-Rynning, C., and Greenwood, J. (2015), ‘The culture of trilogues’, Journal of European Public Policy, 22/8: 1148-65.

Westlake, M., and Galloway, D. (eds.) (2005), The Council of the European Union (3rd edition, London: John Harper).

European Council

de Boissieu, P., Cloos, J., Skytte Christoffersen, P., van Middelaar, L, Keller-Noëllet, J., Milton, G., Roger, C., Blanchet, T., Galloway, D., and Gillissen, A. (2015), National Leaders and the Making of Europe: Key Episodes in the Life of the European Council, London: John Harper.

Wessels, W. (2016), The European Council, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Van Rompuy, H. (2014), Europe in the Storm: Promise and Prejudice, Leuven: Davidsfonds.

European Commission

Kassim, H., Peterson, J., Bauer, M., Dehousse, R., Hooghe, L., Connolly, S., and Thompson, A. (2013), The European Commission of the 21st Century, Oxford and New York: OUP.

Nugent, N., and Rhinard, M. (2015), The European Commission (2nd edition, Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave).

Hooghe, L. (2012) ‘Images of Europe: How Commission officials conceive their institution’s role’, Journal of Common Market Studies, 50/1: 87-111.

Hartlapp, M., Metz, J., and Rauh, C. (2014) Which Policy for Europe? Power and Conflict Inside the European Commission (Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press).

Spence, D. (ed.) (2006), The European Commission, 3rd edition. London: John Harper.

Legitimacy, Political Parties and Interest Representation

Scharpf, F.W. (1999), Governing in Europe: Democratic and Effective? Oxford: OUP.

Bressanelli, E. (2014), Europarties after Enlargement: Organization, Ideology and Competition. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Farrell, D.M., and Scully, R. (2007), Representing Europe’s Citizens? Electoral Institutions and the Failure of Parliamentary Representation. Oxford: OUP.

Hix, S., and Lord, C. (1997), Political Parties in the European Union. Basingstoke: Macmillan.

Hix, S., Noury, A.G., and Roland, G. (2007), Democratic Politics in the European Parliament. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Kreppel, A. (2002), The European Parliament and the Supranational Party System: A Study of Institutional Development. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Ringe, N. (2010), Who Decides, and How? Preferences, Uncertainty, and Policy Choice in the European Parliament. Oxford: OUP.

Member States

Bulmer, S., and Lequesne, C. (eds.) (2012), The Member States of the European Union, 2nd edition. Oxford: OUP.

Cowles, M.G., Caporaso, J.A., and Risse, T. (eds.) (2001), Transforming Europe: Europeanization and Domestic Change, Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

Ladrech, R. (2010), Europeanization and National Politics, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.