CONTEMPORARY EUROPE: HISTORY OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION - IRS221/IRS521 Spring 2025

Course

Federica Cristani

For information about registration please contact our admissions.

About

This course is designed for students of political science, international relations and humanities who want to gain deeper knowledge of the European Union and its integration history. It will offer students a comprehensive overview of European integration process: the milestones, European Union institutions, policies, personalities, treaties and landmark decisions which continue to shape events to present day.

Throughout the semester, step by step, we will learn about the post-WWII context in which European integration took root, the early European Communities and the reasons behind their inception (and failure), their enlargement and transformation. We will cover the early years of integration and the (many) crises the European Communities faced when great political personalities such as Charles de Gaulle or Margaret Thatcher clashed with ideas of supranational governance. We will cover the transformation of economic communities into a political and even a normative project in the post-Cold War era, and debate the challenges that plagued the European Union in the wake of the financial crisis of 2008 and today.

Since this course is predominantly knowledge-based, lectures will be the preferred format. This of course does not exclude student participation throughout the course, whether in form of in-class work with period documents and discussion of their relevance or quick quizzes to check one’s attention.

Lessons14

Here is the course outline:

• Class information, discussion of syllabus, assignments, and class expectations • Introduction to European Integration

• Ideological and practical ideas of European Unity in the interwar period • The Zollverein, Mitteleuropa, Pan-Europa and the challenge of national socialism • WWII disintegration

• The consequences of German nationalism • Origins of the Cold War and division of Europe • Plans for Europe: Marshall Plan, NATO, WEU, the Monnet Plan and the Schuman Plan • Early Communities: European Coal and Steel Community Assignments/deadlines: • Weekly “Quick Quiz”completed (1)

First part of the class: simulation group work on “Western European defence negotiations” (please note that this is part of Assignment 3 of this course; in case of absence, please follow the instructions included in the syllabus ) Second part of the class: review of the readings and lecture --------------------------------- Topics for the lecture: • Different approaches to European integration • Britain and the EFTA + failed communities: EDC, EPC • The Rome treaties: the European Economic Community and Euratom • Charles de Gaulle & the Empty Chair Crisis ------------------------------------ Assignments/deadlines: • Simulation group work on “Western European defence negotiations” (in the first part of the class) • Weekly “Quick Quiz”completed (2)

• Global economic crisis of the 1970s • First enlargement: British, Danish and Irish accession • European Monetary System • First Directly Elected European Parliament Assignments/deadlines: • Submit your presentation topic proposal • Weekly “Quick Quiz”completed (3)

• Single European Act • Economic Integration and Geopolitical Change • Integration speeds up towards the single market • The Maastricht Treaty Assignments/deadlines: • Weekly “Quick Quiz”completed (4)

A set of multiple-choice and short answers exam from classes 1-6

• 1995 enlargement • The Road to Monetary Union • The Amsterdam Treaty¨ Assignments/deadlines: • Sending ppt for Research Presentations (1)

• Enlargement to 27 • Agenda 2000 and EU membership • Treaty Reform: From Nice to Lisbon • Financial Crisis and Recession Assignments/deadlines: • Sending ppt for Research Presentations (2) • Weekly “Quick Quiz”completed (5)

o The Making of the Constitutional Treaty o The Contents of the Constitutional Treaty o Ratifying the Constitutional Treaty o From the Constitutional Treaty to the Lisbon Treaty o The Contents of the Lisbon Treaty Assignments/deadlines: • Sending ppt for Research Presentations (3) • Research Presentations (1) • Weekly “Quick Quiz”completed (6)

o The 2008 economic crisis and its impact on Europe and the Eurozone o The European Stability Mechanism o The six-pack and the fiscal compact o The European semester, the two-pack, and the troika Assignments/deadlines: • Sending ppt for Research Presentations (4) • Research Presentations (2) • Weekly “Quick Quiz”completed (7)

o Refugee crisis and defunct European asylum policy o Brexit Assignments/deadlines: • Research Presentations (3) • Weekly “Quick Quiz”completed (8)

European Commission, Council of the European Union, European Parliament, European Council, Court of Justice of the European Union Assignments/deadlines: • Simulation group work on “EU decision-making (the Chocolate Directive)” • Research Presentations (4) • Weekly “Quick Quiz”completed (9)

set of multiple-choice and short answers exam from classes 8 – 13

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CONTEMPORARY EUROPE: HISTORY OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION - IRS221/IRS521 Spring 2025

1. Introduction

2. Interwar Projects of European Unity

3. Europe Postwar: German Problem is Europe’s Problem

4. Battle over “Europe”

5. Europe in Doldrums

6. Integration Gains Speed

7. Midterm Exam

8. Towards the European Union

9. Reform and the Big Bang Enlargement

10. Constitution and the Lisbon Treaty

11. The Eurozone Crisis

12. European Refugee Crisis and Brexit

13. EU Integration Actors and Decision-Making

14. Final Exam