040226 SE Politikprozesse und Governance der EU (MA) (2024S)

Policy-making at the European Union (EU) level is decided by a variety of institutions/actors that have contributed to the EU's multi-faceted, multi-level decision-making processes.
This course will address: a) the decision-making processes and models; b) the EU's main institutional actors and the impact recent crises have had on their functions/mandates as well as on their inter-relationships; and c) the role of selected EU MS.
The classes will be structured as follows: Group presentation - max.30min; Small-group discussions - ~15min; Open class discussion - remaining time.

OBJECTIVE OF THE COURSE:
The aim of the course is twofold:
a) to enable students to gain an understanding of the political context within which business is done in the EU (decision-making processes and actors involved in policy-making at the EU level);
b) advance students' critical/analytical ability to produce spoken and written assignments in accordance with good academic practices.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
• Detailed understanding of decision-making processes and actors involved in policy-making at the EU level
• Each class stresses a specific issue thus, students will gain
o introductory knowledge through compulsory & further background readings and
o in‐depth knowledge through the additional and further readings.
• Class is designed to develop students’ analytical/critical thinking (research work; essay writing included) and presentation techniques. Hence, students will learn how to:
o Independently produce written analyses in accordance with good academic practices,
o Raise good analytical questions relevant to the topics provided,
o Plan and present own research, and
o Critically analyse and think conceptually about the processes and actors involved in policy-making at EU level by using reasoned/well-informed arguments.
• Strengthening students’ capacity for geographical mobility