Course 2025-2026 a.y.

The course introduces students to a basic toolkit used by researchers of advanced democracies and international interdependence to understand both domestic and EU-level politics in Europe. The material to be covered relate both to the historical development of European integration, and to contemporary challenges. 

As might be expected for topics as broad and complex as these, while there is much we currently know, many debates are still open. The objective of this course is to weigh the available evidence – both descriptive and causal – to arrive at the fullest possible understanding of key themes within European politics today.

The course will consist of three elements:

- In-person lectures at Bocconi for Bocconi students with IE students joining online

- In person lectures at Bocconi for Bocconi students only

- Online lectures at IE with Bocconi students joining remotely

• summarize the key theories trying to understand and explain democratic delegation and multilevel politics in Europe;
• describe the institutional structure, policy-making and electoral politics of European Union and its member states;
• explain the most important challenges that national and EU institutions and policy-making face today, such as enlargement, Euroscepticism, increasing political fragmentation, the limits of technocratic government and the rise in populism.

• apply the theoretical and empirical insights presented during the course to assess and interpret the behavior of citizens, politicians and other political actors in Europe through the theoretical lenses of democratic delegation and multilevel politics;
• use the theoretical and empirical insights presented during the course to discuss the key political challenges and risks facing the European Union and its member states.
• connect the theoretical and empirical insights presented during the course to develop policy scenarios that allow for insights into how to address some of these key political challenges and risks in the future.

• Lectures
• Individual works / Assignments
• Collaborative Works / Assignments

Lectures will be structured according to the standard format: the instructor will present and elaborate on the material contained in the required readings, which the students will have read before class, so as to enhance in-class discussions and students’ participation.

In order to facilitate a deeper understanding of the lecture materials, students will agree with the instructor a case study to prepare as an individual assignment.

Attendance

Some of the assigned readings will feature a high degree of knowledge and sophistication in terms of theories of politics and methods of analysis. Therefore, students’ attendance is strongly recommended. Although no formal prerequisites are required, the lectures will provide students some background that will help them gain a better understanding of the readings.

Attendance will be measured by the specific app available to all students. 

With the purpose of measuring the acquisition of the learning outcomes, the student assessment is based on three main components:

1) a case study presentation by a team of students (20% of grade)

2) a short response presentation by a different team of students (10% of grade)

3) a final exam (70% of grade)

More detailed information will be provided at the beginning of the course. 

Written general exam (100 % of the finale grade) based on a mix of multiple-choice and open questions, which aims to assess the student’s ability to describe the main theoretical and empirical findings contained in the readings covered over the course of the semester.

Attending and non-attending students: The required readings for this course will be scientific articles and book chapters that represent the key and/or state of the art contributions to the different topics analyzed. A complete list of the required and suggested reading will be provided in the course syllabus at the beginning of the course and will be available on Blackboard.