1 American University SIS Gregory Fuller 2015 Spring Contemporary Europe SISU-213 Mondays/Thursdays 2:35 – 3:50 Course Description This course aims to give students the knowledge and tools to understand, analyze, and make informed projections about what is happening in Europe today – both at the national and EU levels The course is roughly broken into two halves In the first half, we will deal with major European states in a comparative context, examining the political regimes, economic systems, electoral systems, party structures, cultures, and institutional configurations of the some of the most systemically important European countries: namely, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Scandinavia (collectively), Poland, and Russia In the second half, we will introduce the European Union and its institutions and go on to explore the issues facing Europe on a more thematic basis These will include European economic governance, foreign and security policy, migration policy, and justice issues The course will conclude with an investigation of Europe’s present economic (and political) challenges, casting an eye to how things will unfold in the short-to-medium term Each class will be roughly half-lecture and half-seminar The lecture half will focus on new events or concepts, whole the seminar half will allow students the opportunity to discuss the issues raised by those events and concepts – both with the instructor and with each other Learning Objectives: By the end of this course, students will be able to: Describe the political and economic systems of major European countries; Identify the common challenges facing European countries today; Explain how/why the European Union emerged and identify the difficulties it faces today; Give an account of the contemporary European economic crisis; Perform their own analysis of a European country of their choosing; The course will make extensive use of one new textbook: Europe Today 5th Edition (2014), Ronald Tiersky and Erik Jones (eds.) We will read most of this book and you will find it highly useful for your assignments and class It costs $60-$65 and I recommend buying it (e-book is fine), if possible Do not buy the 4th edition – it’s significantly different Full disclosure: Yes, I am one of the contributing authors of this textbook But no, I don’t get any money for you buying it! Course Requirements Each student’s grade for the course will be determined based on five components Those are: 15% Participation The usual: regular attendance and participation in class discussion is expected To that end, students are expected to keep up with what is going on in Europe by following a Europebased news source (i.e., the BBC, Financial Times, English-language websites for foreignlanguage publications like Deutsche Welle, and EurActiv or VoxEU for EU affairs) This is definitely a “do-the-readings-beforehand” class as you’ll find it hard to participate if you don’t 15% (5% x3) Reaction Papers Over the course of the semester, each student must hand in a response to the “Key Questions” associated with three different classes Note that, for the comparative classes (classes 4-11), it's the same question but for different countries! These are meant to be short – no more than one page – and you can respond to any three weeks’ questions over the course of the year These must be handed in before class and will sometimes require a little bit of outside reading The expectation is that these will take no more than one hour each 10% News Presentation Each student will present a five minute summary of a major news event and its impact on contemporary European affairs We will have one / two presentations each day as a way of kicking off the class discussion A timetable will be set out during the first weeks of class 25% Country Analysis The first half of the course will focus on doing a comparative analysis of several key European countries Your objective with this paper is to your own such analysis for one of the countries that we did not cover in class More details will be provided in the second week of class This will be a relatively short (~3000 word) paper 35% Final Exam Short essay exam In general, this course is going to be assessed with many small pieces of work spread over the semester rather than in large chunks 40% of the assessed work (participation, reaction papers, and the news presentation) is meant to be either indirectly or directly tied to course participation: the class will be more fun and interesting all around if everyone is tuned in on a regular basis! Contact / Office Hours My office is in the East Quad Building up in the “attic” area, room number 305 Office hours are Tuesdays from 2pm – 8pm and Thursdays 4pm – 6pm I can also make appointments to talk via the phone or Skype 3 Schedule of Classes: Part I Date Class # Mon, Jan 12 Thu, Jan 15 Mon, Jan 19 Thu, Jan 22 Topic Course Introduction: Why Study Europe Today? • Key Questions: Why are you here? What are your/my expectations? • Readings: None Basics of Comparative Politics, Part I • Key Questions: What is "Comparative Politics?" What national characteristics we compare? How we compare them? • Readings: Powell, Dalton, Strom, Comparative Politics Today, 10th/11th Edition: Chapter No Class: MLK Day Basics of Comparative Politics, Part II • Key Questions: Same as Class • Readings: Powell, Dalton, Strom, Comparative Politics Today, 10th/11th Edition: Chapter Mon, Jan 26 Country Study: Britain • Key Questions: What is the key challenge this country faces today? • Readings: Europe Today (ET), Chapter Thu, Jan 29 Country Study: France • Key Questions: What is the key challenge this country faces today? • Readings: ET Chapter Mon, Feb Country Study: Germany • Key Questions: What is the key challenge this country faces today? • Readings: ET Chapter Thu, Feb Country Study: Spain • Key Questions: What is the key challenge this country faces today? • Readings: ET Chapter Mon, Feb Country Study: Scandinavia • Key Questions: What is the key challenge this country faces today? • Readings: ET Chapter Thu, Feb 12 Country Study: Italy • Key Questions: What is the key challenge this country faces today? • Readings: ET Chapter 4 Mon, Feb 16 10 Thu, Feb 19 Mon, Feb 23 Country Study: Poland • Key Questions: What is the key challenge this country faces today? • Readings: ET Chapter No Class: Professor Fuller @ ISA 11 Country Study: Russia • Key Questions: What is the key challenge this country faces today? • Readings: ET Chapter Schedule of Classes: Part II Date Class # Thu, Feb 26 Mon, Mar Thu, Mar 12 13 14 Topic European Integration: The History & Theory • Key Questions: What differentiates the main approaches to understanding the European Union? What were the principal drivers behind the creation of the EU? • Readings: Mark Pollack (2012), "Realist, Intergovernmentalist, and Institutionalist Approaches," in Jones et al, eds., The Oxford Handbook of European Integration Also: Civitas, Timeline of EU Integration European Integration: Where from Here? • Key Questions: What is the biggest challenge facing the European project today? • Readings: ET Chapter The EU and its Institutions, Part I • Key Questions: What are the principal responsibilities of the different EU institutions? Which of the EU institutions is the most powerful? • Readings: Egenhofer et al (2011), The Ever Changing Union: An Introduction to the History, Institutions, and Decision-Making Processes of the European Union, CEPS, Pages 1-50 Download from: http://www.ceps.eu/system/files/book/2011/04/EverChanging%20Union%20e-version.pdf Mon, Mar No Class: Spring Break Thu, Mar 12 No Class: Spring Break Mon, Mar 16 15 Thu, Mar 19 16 Mon, Mar 23 17 Thu, Mar 26 18 Mon, Mar 30 19 Thu, Apr 20 The EU and its Institutions, Part II • Key Questions: Is the European Union a democratic body? Why or why not? Should it be? • Readings: Egenhofer et al, Pages 51-68 Economic and Monetary Union and the Euro • Key Questions: Why did European policymakers decide to press ahead with economic and monetary union (EMU) Was the euro doomed from the start? Is it doomed now? • Readings: Dorothee Heisenberg (2006), “From the Single Market to the Single Currency,” in Desmond Dinan, ed Origins and Evolution of the European Union Oxford University Press, 233-252 Also: Lars Jonung and Eoin Drea (2009), “The Euro: It Can’t Happen It’s a Bad Idea It Won’t Last US Economists on the EMU, 1989-2002,” European Commission Economic Papers 395 http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications/publication16345_en.pdf Immigration Within Europe • Key Questions: How much does Europe constitute a single, unified labor market? Would that be a good thing? • Readings: ET Chapter 13 Immigration from the Outside • Key Questions: What special challenges does the EU face when confronted with undocumented migrants? Which member states face the largest burdens from undocumented migrants? • Readings: The Economist (2014), "A Surge from the Sea," http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21612228-illegal-migrationcausing-strains-across-continent-surge-sea A European Identity? • Key Questions: Is there such a thing as a European identity? If so, what is it? If not, why not? How the topics of conversation in the previous two classes feed into the identity discussion? • Readings: Jeffrey T Checkel and Peter J Katzenstein (2009), "The Politicization of European Identities," European Identity, Chapter The EU and The European Welfare State • Key Questions: Is the EU a threat to the European welfare state? Does it even make sense to speak of a single "European Welfare State?" • Readings: André Sapir (2006), "Globalization and the Reform of European Social Models," Journal of Common Market Studies 44:2 Mon, Apr 21 Thu, Apr 22 Mon, Apr 13 23 Thu, Apr 16 24 Mon, Apr 20 25 Thu, Apr 23 Mon, Apr 27 26 27 Transatlantic Relations • Key Questions: How important is the transatlantic relationship to global security and economic prosperity? Is the current transatlantic relationship strengthening, weakening, or something more complicated? • Readings: ET Chapter 14 European Foreign Policy • Key Questions: How unified are the foreign policies of Europe's largest member states? Does the European Union enhance the voice of the smallest member states? • Readings: Stephan Keukeleire and Tom Delreux (2014), The Foreign Policy of the European Union, 2nd Ed Chapter Also: Browse through http://www.eufp.eu/ if this is an area of interest The Economic Crisis • Key Questions: What were the main causes of Europe's economic crisis? Who, if you had to point a finger, is most to blame? Readings: ET Chapter 11 Also: Zsolt Darvas (2012), “The Euro Crisis: Ten Roots, But Fewer Solutions,” Bruegel Policy Contribution 2012/17 http://www.bruegel.org/download/parent/755-the-euro-crisis-ten-rootsbut-fewer-solutions/file/1621-the-euro-crisis-ten-roots-but-fewersolutions/ Resolving the Crisis • Key Questions: What is the best way to resolve Europe's economic crisis? Why has there been so much disagreement over this "best way?" • Readings: Guntram B Wolff (2012) ,“The Euro Area Crisis: Policy Options Ahead,” in Resolving the European Debt Crisis http://www.piie.com/publications/chapters_preview/6420/12iie6420.pdf Looking Ahead • Key Questions: What's next for Europe? • Readings: None Make-Up Slot (Snow Days / Run-Over) TBD Make-Up Slot (Snow Days / Run-Over) TBD Final Exam Slot TBD Information for all Students Standards of Academic Conduct: They are set forth in American University’s Academic Integrity Code (AIC) By registering for this course, you acknowledge your awareness of the AIC, and you are obliged to become familiar with your rights and responsibilities as defined by the Code Violations of the AIC will not be treated lightly, and disciplinary actions will be taken should violations occur Please contact me if you have any questions about the academic violations described in the Code in general or as they relate to particular requirements for this course, and I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the AIC at www.american.edu/academics/integrity/code.cfm Finally, please let me know if you become aware of any violations of the AIC by other students In the Event of an Emergency: AU will implement a plan for meeting the needs of all members of the university community Should the university be required to close for a period of time, we are committed to ensuring that all aspects of our educational programs will be delivered to you These may include altering and extending the duration of the traditional term schedule to complete essential instruction in the traditional format and/or use of distance instructional methods Specific strategies will vary from class to class, depending on the format of the course and the timing of the emergency I will communicate class-specific information to you via AU email and/or Blackboard, and you are responsible for checking your AU email on a daily basis and for keeping yourself informed of any declared emergencies Please refer to the AU Student Portal, the AU Web site www.american.edu/emergency and the AU information line at (202) 885-1100 for university-wide information AU provides numerous services to help students to be successful in their coursework: the Academic Support Center, the Counseling Center, Disability Support Services, the Writing Center and Writing Lab, and the Center for Diversity and Inclusion, most of which are located in the Mary Graydon Center (MGC) Academic Support Center (x3360, MGC 243) offers study skills workshops, individual instruction, tutor referrals, Supplemental Instruction, and services for students with learning disabilities and ADHD Writing support is available in the ASC Writing Lab or in the Writing Center If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please notify me in a timely manner with a letter from the Academic Support Center or Disability Support Services so that we can make arrangements to address your needs Counseling Center (x3500, MGC 214) offers counseling and consultations regarding personal concerns, self-help information, and connections to off-campus mental health resources Disability Support Services (x3315, MGC 206) offers technical and practical support and assistance with accommodations for students with physical, medical, or psychological disabilities If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please notify me in a timely manner with a letter from the Academic Support Center or Disability Support Services so that we can make arrangements to address your needs 8 Writing Center (x2991, Battelle-Tompkins 228) offers free, individual coaching sessions to all AU students In your 45-minute session, a student writing consultant can help you address assignments, understand the conventions of academic writing, and learn how to revise and edit your own work The Center offers appointments on the hour from 11 AM to PM Monday through Thursday; 11 AM to PM Friday, and to PM on Sundays Center for Diversity and Inclusion (x3651, MGC 2nd fl.) is dedicated to enhancing LGBTQ, Multicultural, First Generation, and Women’s experiences on campus and to advance AU’s commitment to respecting and valuing diversity by serving as a resource and liaison to students, staff, and faculty on issues of equity through education, outreach, and advocacy