857-0075-01L  Contemporary European Politics

SemesterSpring Semester 2018
LecturersF. Karstens, M.‑E. Bélanger, J. Dederke, J. Moreno Rocabert, D. Schraff, N. Wunsch
Periodicityyearly recurring course
Language of instructionEnglish


AbstractHow have the EU's powers developed until now and what are the problems facing the Union today? In this course, we will discuss the development of European integration. Furthermore, the course will address key issues such as the EU's democratic deficit, the consequences from enlargement to Central and Eastern Europe, the prospects for future entrants, the Euro-crisis, Brexit and the refugee crisis.
Learning objectiveSince its start in the fifties, the European Union has evolved into an ever more important multilevel system of integration in terms of decision-making, competences and scope of policy. The course 'Contemporary European Politics' discusses the development of the EU powers and the problems the EU faces today. We will engage with current important challenges based on recent scientific insights. At the end of the course, the participants will be familiar with the major topics and debates in EU studies. Based on this knowledge, the participants should be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of existing studies as well as to formulate and to defend their own argument.