Introduction
What does it mean to exercise global power? The exercise of power shapes all our lives and our students need to learn to question how it operates. In history lessons we learn about ‘the great powers’ of Europe and the ‘superpowers of the Cold War’. Post the Cold War we are more likely to read about ‘global power’. For some people global power is defined by the capacity to use military force if necessary. However, power can also be wielded through economics, and through so-called ‘soft’ power, often connected to cultural links. Some commentators prefer to refer to this sort of global role as being a ‘global player’, rather than a global power. It can be argued that because the EU does not have its own military force, then it cannot be a global power, only a global player. Perhaps your students could discuss this at the end of the activity. However, for now, let’s use the term global power to cover all these types of influence. In recent times the countries of Europe have exercised global power in a variety of ways. Examples include: as the European Union, as part of NATO, as the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN).
At the heart of this activity students research using two contrasting case studies and then have a discussion. The topic of Europe operating as a global power is very large and wide-ranging. This activity has been designed to make it accessible to students aged 14-16 in one school lesson. If you have more than one lesson available, or students who are older and already more knowledgeable, then you can broaden and extend this activity to allow for deeper exploration of the concept of global power. The principle activity of research, comparison and discussion would be the same.
You may wish to read the accompanying document ‘Considering Europe as a Global Power’ in order to improve your own knowledge of the topic. It is written to be informative and accessible to teachers and older/more able students.
The case studies developed here are:
• The European Union and Iraq War 2003 - a study of failure
You then have a choice of two case studies where European countries have been successful in wielding global power. The different aspects of the concept that these case studies will enable students to explore are explained below in the activity plan. You can choose which one to use based on what they reveal, but also on the interests of your students, and also depending on if you wish to focus more specifically upon the European Union.
The two case studies are:
•The European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN)
•The 2004 Enlargement of the European Union
If you wish your students to research by themselves then you will get some ideas for topics from the ‘Considering Europe as a Global Power’ document.
These include:
•The EU’s failures in relation to the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s and subsequent initiation of the Stability Pact in the region
•The EU’s leadership in relation to tackling climate change.
The activity with two contrasting case studies and a discussion
Learning objectives:
• To learn about two examples of European countries working together to assert global power
•To contrast these case studies in order to decide under what circumstances European countries are more or less likely to be successful in cooperating to assert global power
•To discuss and then apply these decisions to hypothetical situations in order to deepen understanding of the concept of global power in relation to European countries.
Time: 1 hour
Age: 14-18
Resources:
• PowerPoint – page 1 is displayed as students arrive
•Two case studies (choose two from the three) – copy and cut these up to put in plastic wallets between 2/3 students
•Easier and harder versions of student worksheet to help with case studies – a copy each (if you have younger/less knowledgeable students, choose the easier version)
As students arrive in the lesson (known as the ‘bell’ activity):
Before the lesson starts, put up the PowerPoint slide 1. It asks students to think about the different ways that power can be exercised by a country. They do this as they are arriving/settling into their seats. When everyone has arrived, ask them which ones they think apply. Actually, all are possible. Give them examples to make sure they have understood.
To start:
Briefly (about 5 mins) use the PowerPoint slide 2 with the title and a map of Europe and of the European Union in 2016 to introduce the enquiry. Make sure that your students are clear what it would mean for ‘Europe to operate as a global power’. (Linking their ideas from the ‘bell’ activity to this introduction.) Make sure they have grasped that it means to operate across states with united views and aims in a specific policy area that impacts upon the wider world. (This is clearly how the United States operates e.g. Mississippi, Kansas, Iowa and Maine are not separate global powers, although they do have very strong individual identities). This activity explores under what circumstances European countries find it possible/desirable to do the same?
Resources: PPT slide 2 (see below)
Case study research
Students use two case studies. Three case studies are provided here. All students should use the case study about the failure to operate as a global power relating to the Iraq War in 2003. Students use the materials to collect reasons why European countries were unable to assert the global power of Europe at this specific point in time. You and/or your students should choose one of the other two case studies. They are both examples of European countries working together to assert Europe’s global power. There is a shorter case study about CERN (the European atomic organisation). The other case study focuses upon the enlargement of the European Union in 2004. Students use their second set of materials to investigate why European cooperation to make a global impact was possible.
The materials for these case studies are provided. We suggest that you print each one out, cut it up and put it into a file (or large envelope) as separate pieces of paper for each pair of students. Students can then have the experience of opening a case study file to investigate.
There is a worksheet for students to complete as they use each case study file. The answers on this worksheet will then support your students during the class discussion. There are two versions of the worksheet. One version asks the students to find examples in the first case study, the other requires them to think at a higher level from the start. Choose the one you feel is most appropriate for your students. You could always add the statements for them to find the evidence for the second case study too, if you prefer (see ‘teacher help’ statements below).
Resources:
• Case study file about Europe and the Iraq War in 2003
•Case study file about CERN
•Case study file about the 2004 EU Enlargement
•Worksheet called: ‘What makes it possible for European countries to cooperate to act as a global power?’ (easier and harder versions)
Teacher help for this section:
European countries and the Iraq War - reasons your students are likely to find for lack of cooperation:
• Lack of political will to develop a common foreign security policy
•Independent minded politicians e.g. Blair and Chirac
•Colonial pasts, responsibilities and links e.g. UK and France
•The focus on the United Nations for varied reasons
•Importance of relations with USA e.g Poland and UK
•Imbalance of size of military budgets and forces in Europe
•Particular historic reasons e.g. Germany and Poland
•Domestic political concerns e.g. Germany
•Varied relations with Iraq e.g. France
European countries and CERN - reasons for success your students are likely to find:
•CERN has proved itself with astonishing results that benefit us all
•It does work that most countries could not afford to fund
•It is beyond national politics in terms of projects and experiments
•It was set up by scientists with UN money and will in the years after WW2 when people were trying to rebuild Europe and put the past behind them.
•There is a recognition that the best science is done across borders with the best minds from wherever they come from.
•It is about science and not foreign policy and international relations
European Union enlargement in 2004 – reasons for success your students are likely to find
• The international situation was supportive of the further development of the EU – it was made possible by the end of the Cold War in 1989
•The EU was seen as an attractive ‘club’ to join
•The desire to ensure peace, stability and economic prosperity in a re-unified Europe.
•Incentives to join the European Union e.g. financial support to meet the criteria and access to the single market
•A sense of being ‘once more European’ and Europe being able to control its own destiny free of the superpowers.
•EU leaders using membership as a vehicle for developing liberal democracies and economies in former communist countries.
• The lack of other options for former communist countries of Europe
Student discussion
Ask students to work in pairs and to look at the worksheets they have completed. They need to discuss and decide the three key reasons they think make it hardest for European countries to work together to act as a global power and the three key reasons they think make it easier. Ask your students to defend their views by developing their arguments and using evidence.
Then put students in groups of four and present them with the four scenarios on the plenary PowerPoint slide (see below) and ask them to rank, with reasons, how easy European countries are likely to find it to work together to operate as a global power in these areas. They should refer to the reasons that Europe has found it harder / easier to cooperate that they have discovered by reading the case studies. You can, of course, change and amend this list as you wish.
Resources: PPT slide 3 (see below)
Concluding the lesson
Ask groups to share their rankings. Insist that they explain their reasoning. If there is time students may wish to challenge each other about their ideas for rankings. All challenges must be made with reasoning that connects to the earlier case study work.
Finally:
• Ask students which of the ways of exercising power shared at the start of the lesson they have encountered while working on the case studies. (You may wish to re-show PPT slide 1 to remind them of the ways.) You could ask which of these ways of exercising power students feel comfortable with.
•Reflect once again upon the enquiry question: ‘what makes it possible for European countries to work together to operate as a global power?’ – What are their summary thoughts?
• What have they learnt about European countries and the concept of global power from taking part in this activity?