2018: Europe at the crossroads 4003-ENE-ERASMUS-OG
Nothing is going well since the United Kingdom decided to quit the European adventure in 2016. A growing number of central and eastern European countries have expressed their distrust towards European rules and values. Even the western part of the continent is no longer immune to Europhobic forces. Since December 2017, Austria is openly displaying its support for anti-European policies defined by the likes of Kaczynski in Poland or Orban in Hungary. In June 2018, Italian voters showed they wanted to emulate the British, while a growing part of the Danish and Dutch electorate are starting to reject the European Union (EU). The EU is unable to overcome a number of very serious problems, including the increasing influx of refugees and migrants or its inability to deliver concrete solutions to millions of workers who have been witnessing the loss of national jobs over the past decades. The EU is starting to show its true colours: it is a club of cooperating nations who are less and less willing to cooperate. The main issue stems from the fact that it was never fully accepted by the people of the 27 states it is now composed of. Instead, many believe it is a project led by the “elites” who are primarily concerned by their personal enrichment. Considering these numerous challenges, we will try to identify solutions that would allow the EU to strengthen itself while restoring hope to its citizens. This is meant to be a practical exercise, in view of the elections to the European parliament which will be held in less than a year.
Whole series is divided into 7 following lectures:
1. The European Union is facing a crisis: a diagnosis according to an Arendtian approach. (2 hours)
2. The EU is no longer in touch with its citizens, which is a major flaw. A democratic refoundation is necessary. (2 hours)
3. The EU must finally overcome its internal contradiction between enlargement and deepening. (2 hours)
4. The EU must overcome its passive submission to liberalism: a good example could be the strengthening of the euro zone. (2 hours)
5. What should be done in the short term in light of the upcoming European Parliament elections in May 2019? (2 hours)
6. What should be done in the medium and long term? (2 hours)
7. Is it possible to preserve the "homo europaeus" in the future? (2 hours)
Student's workload
lecture - 15 hrs
reading in foreign language - 60 hrs
preparation to the lecture - 30 hrs
preparation to the exam - 75 hrs
total - 180 hrs
Type of course
Mode
Learning outcomes
At the completion of the course the student will:
1. (regarding knowledge) know the main problems of the European Union,
2. (regarding skills) be able to suggest solutions for the main problems of the European Union,
3. (regarding social skills) be a responsible citizen.
Assessment criteria
The course is based on the lecture but also includes interactive elements. It finishes with a written examination in class: a short essay on one of the suggested topics.
Bibliography
In English
Fractured Continent : Europe’s Crises and the Fate of the West, by William Drozdiak.
The Future of Europe: Towards a Two-Speed EU? By Jean-Claude Piris.
The Euro, by David Marsh.
Rethinking Europe’s Future, by Davis Calleo.
Slippery Slope: Brexit and Europe’s Troubled Future, by Giles Merrit.
In French
L'Europe de Jean Monnet, Marc Joly, Poche, 2017
Sauver l’Europe, Hubert Védrine, Poche, 2016
La fin de l'Union européenne, Coralie Delaume et David Cayla, Michalon, Paris 2017
Faire l'Europe dans un monde de brutes. Enrico Letta, Fayard, 2017
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: