European Integration: State of the Art

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This introductory seminar is the first module in the first year of the Research Master European Studies (RMES). It sets the scene for the 2-year programme in two ways: first, by introducing students to some of the key current debates and contending perspectives on European integration. This will include an overview of the historical evolution of the European Union and the idea of European integration, a discussion of the political, economic and social dynamics behind these developments, and an introduction to the uses of theory in understanding and explaining the integration process. In doing so, the module will bring together insights from a range of disciplines, in particular comparative politics, international relations, history, and public administration. Second, the module introduces a teaching format that will be distinctive for the RMES, namely a mix of focused interactive lectures and seminar-style discussion blocks following the model of PBL. The lectures and the debating seminars cover the main theories of European integration and also serve to introduce the three specialisations of the RMES: I) European integration: historical approach; II) Governance and representation in the EU; and III) Europe and the world.