University of Victoria – European Studies Program
EUS 100: Introduction to European Studies
Fall 2016
Instructor Dr. Valerie D’Erman
Office David Turpin Building (DTB A334)
Phone 250-853-3552
Lectures Wednesdays, 2:30-5:20pm
Location ECS (Engineering Computer Science building) 124
Office Hours Wednesdays 10:30-11:20am; Fridays 12:30-1:30pm; or by appointment
Course Outline
The continent of Europe has a rich and varied history and is the birthplace of many important ideologies, art forms, and political institutions. In the context of European integration, the European Union (EU) currently consists of 28 European countries with a combined population of almost 500 million people, and offers an unprecedented experiment of countries willingly pooling their economic and political resources.
This course gives a broad introduction to the areas of study in the European Studies Program, and current events, by doing a ‘Tour of Europe’. In class, we examine different European countries on their own, as well as in relation to each other and to the EU. In doing so, we focus on key issues and contemporary thinkers associated with the study of European integration. This is an interdisciplinary course, including the areas of history, law, politics, and economics. Some topics include the history of modern Europe, the debates and ideas behind the creation of the EU, and the cultural and political ramifications of ‘East-West’ legacies in Europe. The course also examines a number of current events and recent challenges facing the EU, to include the debt crisis, identity politics, and issues surrounding further political integration.
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
· Have a solid understanding of the areas of study and opportunities within the European Studies Program[1]
· Understand the historical context that led to the formation of the EU
· Appreciate the contribution of different European cultures and their relation to European integration
· Understand some of the key issues and events in Europe today
· Develop skills in note-taking, writing, discussion, argumentation, and presenting.
Readings
There are no assigned textbooks to purchase for this course. All readings will be linked through the class CourseSpaces website (coursespaces.uvic.ca), or will be found on library reserve. The specific readings assigned for each class are listed by date, below (under Schedule of Topics), and on CourseSpaces. It is the students’ responsibility to read the assigned material in advance of each class.
Course Evaluation
Attendance and Participation 10%
Midterm (in-class): 30%
Mini-conference presentations 25%
Final Research Paper 35%
TOTAL: 100%
Attendance and Participation
Attendance is a key component of student success. As this is a once a week, 3-hour class, attendance and engagement with course material is critical. Attendance will be taken every class. Students are also expected to engage in class discussions and in Q&A sessions with guest speakers.
Midterm Exam
The midterm exam is worth 30% and will be held in-class on October 19. It will cover all lectures, guest lectures, and readings up until that point. More details will be provided in class.
Mini-Conference Presentations
During the weeks of Nov. 23 and Nov.30, each student will be required to give a short (5-10 minute) presentation on a topic within an assigned theme. Each student will also be assigned to ask questions and give feedback on another student’s presentation. Students will be evaluated according to their presentation skills and preparedness, the information provided on Power Point slides, and their assigned role as a discussant for another student’s presentation. More details will be provided in class and on CourseSpaces.
Final Research Paper
Each student will research and write a paper of approximately 2,500 words on a topic related to the course. A list of possible topics, guidelines, and formatting/referencing expectations will be posted on CourseSpaces and will be discussed in class. A hard copy of this final paper is due in the instructor’s drop-box (POL office) by 4pm on Monday, December 12.
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Schedule of Topics and Readings
(All readings are required and can be found in the textbook or on CourseSpaces)
Week 1 – September 7: Introduction
· Introduction to class, discussion of course expectations.
o Overview of EUS programs and opportunities available for students interested in EUS as a minor
Week 2 – September 14: European integration in the past century
· WWII and aftermath; what the EU is and what it does.
o Guest speaker: Jeremy Kinsman (former Canadian Ambassador to the EU)
o Readings:
§ Politico.eu (May 2016), “Euro-skepticism’s empty promise.” (website)
§ McCormick, J. & J. Gillingham. (2012). “The European Union: Success or Failure?”, in H. Zimmerman & A. Dur (eds.), Key Controversies in European Integration. NY: Palgrave Macmillan, pp.10-31. (pdf)
Week 3 – September 21: UK and Ireland
· Brexit, Euro-skepticism, and Ireland as the “Celtic Tiger”
o Guest speaker: Paul Schure (Economics)
o Readings:
§ Kinsman, J. (July 2016), OpenCanada.org, “A Brexit post-mortem.” (website)
§ Kinsman, J. (September/October 2016), “Life after Brexit: When Nothing is Clear, is Anything Possible?” Policy Magazine, pp. 60-62. (pdf)
§ EU Commission website on “Ireland”. (website)
Week 4 – September 28: France and Germany
· Logic of European integration, debates over purpose of current EU; borders and regions.
o Guest speaker: Charlotte Schaille (German and Slavic Studies)
o Readings:
§ Judt, T. (11 July 1996), “Europe: The Grand Illusion.” NY Times Review of Books. Retreived from: http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/1996/jul/11/europe-the-grand-illusion/html. (pdf).
§ Bulmer, S. & W.E.Patterson. (1996). “Germany in the EU: Gentle Giant or Emergent Leader?” International Affairs 72(1), pp.9-32. (pdf)
§ Rozenberg, O. (24 February 2015). “France in quest of a European narrative.” Fondation Robert Schuman, Policy Paper No. 345. (pdf)
Week 5 – October 5: Southern Europe (Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece)
· The single currency (euro); debt crises; idea of ‘Southern/Mediterranean’ model)
o Guest speaker: Amy Verdun (Political Science)
o Readings:
§ Krugman, P. (12 January 2011). “Can the Euro be Saved?” The New York Times Magazine. Retrieved from: www.nytimes.com/2011/01/16/magazine/16Europe-t.html. (website)
§ Matthijs, M. (2014). “Mediterranean Blues: The Crisis in Southern Europe.” Journal of Democracy 25 (1), pp. 100-115. (website)
§ BBC (8 May 2016). “Protests in Greece ahead of vote on pension and tax change.” Retrieved from: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36239541. (website)
Week 6 – October 12: Turkey, Enlargement, and European Identity
· Identity politics and issues with ‘European’ identity; refugee crisis
o Guest speaker: TBA
o Readings:
§ Epstein, R. & C.J. Bickerton. (2012). “Turkey and Beyond: Is EU Enlargement a Success Story or Has It Gone Too Far?”, in H. Zimmerman & A. Dur (eds.), Key Controversies in European Integration. NY: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 205-217. (pdf)
§ The Economist. (28 May 2016). “Europe’s murky deal with Turkey: Visa liberalization.” Pp. 43-44. (website)
§ The Economist. (12 September 2015). “Strangers in strange lands: Europe’s challenge.” Pp. 24-26. (website)
Week 7 – October 19: MIDTERM, and short film (TBA)
· Midterm written in-class (75 minutes); film (60 minutes)
o No readings or guest speakers this week
Week 8 – October 26: Scandinavian countries
· Welfare models; intentional autonomy from the EU; social democracy
o Guest speaker: Helga Hallgrimsdottir (Sociology)
o Readings:
§ Thorhallsson, B. & P. Kirby. (2012). “Financial Crises in Iceland and Ireland: Does European Union and Euro Membership Matter?” Journal of Common Market Studies 50(5): 801-818. (website)
§ The Economist. (30 January 2010). “Europe: Starting them young.” (website)
§ Sverdrup, U. (21 June 2016). “Lessons from the Norway-EU Relationship.” European Council on Foreign Relations, ecfr.eu. (website)
Week 9 – November 2: Russia, Ukraine, and EU-NATO relations
· Russian relations with European countries; language politics in the EU; European security issues.
o Guest speaker: Sehry Yekelchuk (Germanic and Slavic studies)
o Readings:
§ NATO (July 2016). “Fact sheet on NATO-EU Relations.” (pdf)
§ The Economist (8 March 2014). “The End of the Beginning? Ukraine.” Pp. 22-24. (website)
§ Kuzio, T. (2016). “Ukraine between a Constrained EU and Assertive Russia.” Journal of Common Market Studies 54. (website)
Week 10 – November 9: READING BREAK
· Class cancelled for reading break holiday!
Week 11 – November 16: European laws and norms
· Law and democracy; EU law (and issues within); implications of enlargement.
o Guest speaker: Keith Cherry (Ph.D. candidate, Law)
o Readings:
§ Alter, K. J. & Rabkin, J. (2012). “Too Much Power for the Judges?” , in H. Zimmerman & A. Dur (eds.), Key Controversies in European Integration. NY: Palgrave Macmillan, pp.79-94. (pdf)
§ European Commission. (2014). “Factsheet on the ‘Right to be Forgotten’ ruling (C-131/12).” (pdf)
§ McHangama, J. (7 July 2016). “Europe’s Freedom of Speech Fail.” Foreign Policy. Retrieved from: http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/07/07/europes-freedom-of-speech-fail/?wp_login_redirect=0. (pdf)
Week 12 – November 23: PRESENTATIONS
· Student presentations; discussion of final paper assignment.
Week 13 – November 30: PRESENTATIONS, and course conclusions
· Student presentations; preparation for final papers; overview of EUS program
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Grading System
Students will be assigned grades based on the following scale:
90-100% A+ Exceptional
85-89% A Outstanding
80-84% A- Excellent
(Normally achieved by a minority of students. These grades indicate a student who is self-initiating, exceeds expectation and has an insightful grasp of the subject matter.)
77-79% B+ Very good
73-76% B Good
70-72% B- Solid
(Normally achieved by the largest number of students. These grades indicate a good grasp of the subject matter or excellent grasp in one area balanced with satisfactory grasp in the other area.)
65-69% C+ Satisfactory
60-64% C Minimally satisfactory
(These grades indicate a satisfactory performance and knowledge of the subject matter.)
50-59% D Marginal
9This grade indicates a superficial grasp of the subject matter.)
0-49% F Unsatisfactory
(This grade indicates an unsatisfactory performance and a lack of knowledge of the subject matter.)
49% N Incomplete
(FAILURE TO COMPLETE ALL THE COURSEWORK will result in a grade of 49% which is an "N" grade and indicates "Incomplete and Failed".)
Plagiarism and Academic Integrity (adapted from Teaching and Learning Centre material): Academic integrity is intellectual honesty and responsibility for academic work that you submit individually or as a member of a group. It involves commitment to the values of honesty, trust and responsibility. It is expected that students will respect these ethical values in all activities related to learning, teaching, research and service. Therefore, plagiarism and other acts against academic integrity are serious academic offences. In this context, be advised that I reserve the right, in my capacity as the instructor of this course, to employ plagiarism-detection software (such as Turnitin) in cases of suspected plagiarism.
The responsibility of the institution - Instructors and academic units have the responsibility to ensure that standards of academic honesty are met. By doing so, the institution recognizes students for their hard work and assures them that other students do not have an unfair advantage through cheating on essays, exams, and projects.
The responsibility of the student - Plagiarism sometimes occurs due to a misunderstanding regarding the rules of academic integrity, but it is the responsibility of the student to know them. If you are unsure about the standards for citations or for referencing your sources, ask your instructor. Depending on the severity of the case, penalties include a warning, a failing grade, a record on the student’s transcript, or a suspension. It is your responsibility to understand the University’s policy on academic integrity, which can be found on pages 32-34 of the undergraduate calendar.
Course Experience Survey (CES)
I value your feedback on this course. Towards the end of term you will have the opportunity to complete a confidential course experience survey (CES) regarding your learning experience. The survey is vital to providing feedback to me regarding the course and my teaching, as well as to help the department improve the overall program for students in the future. When it is time for you to complete the survey, you will receive an email inviting you to do so. If you do not receive an email invitation, you can go directly to http://ces.uvic.ca. You will need to use your UVic NetLink ID to access the survey, which can be done on your laptop, tablet or mobile device. I will remind you nearer the time, but please be thinking about this important activity, especially the following three questions, during the course.
1. What strengths did your instructor demonstrate that helped you learn in this course?
2. Please provide specific suggestions as to how the instructor could have helped you learn more effectively.
3. Please provide specific suggestions as to how this course could be improved.
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[1] The aim of the European Studies Minor (EUS) is to explore the ideas, histories and practices that put Europe at the centre of the world's most vital challenges and their solutions. The three core courses (EUS 100, EUS 200, EUS 300) take an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural look at European Integration and its unique politics, economics, cultures and identities. The European Studies Program also offers experiential learning opportunities – study abroad programs, internships in Brussels, EU Council simulations – in partnership with the European Centre of Excellence.