Course 2024-2025 a.y.

The course introduces students to a basic toolkit used by researchers of advanced democracies and international interdependence (including spatial models, veto players, two-level games etc.) to understand both domestic and EU-level politics in Europe. The course is structured in two blocks. The first block introduces theoretical models of democratic delegation, political interdependence and electoral politics. The second block focuses on European policy-making and enlargement.

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.

• 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

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.

The 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 two main components, 1) the presentation slides and memo and 2) the final written exam. The case study accounts for 30 per cent of the mark and the final exam for 70 per cent of the final grade.

1) Case study presentation and memo (30%): The case study is designed to apply the theories and readings to current events. Registered students must give one presentation on a case study that applies the week’s required reading and apply this to a practical situation in European politics. A reading and/or podcast is provided to introduce students to the topics for the case study. More information about the requirement of the presentation can be found on the course syllabus on BlackBoard. In addition to the presentation, each student writes a short memo (2 pages max.) detailing the main argument of the presentation, and referencing the materials used. The grade will be based on the individual memo, not on the presentation.

2. Exam (70 %): The exam is based on a mix of multiple-choice and open questions. Multiple choice questions and open-ended questions will be designed to test the students’ knowledge
of the key theories of democratic delegation and multilevel politics in Europe, the institutional structure, policy-making and electoral politics of European Union and its member states and future challenges to European integration. The exam is based on the required reading, NOT on the case study material.

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.