This module is a Level 5 option that introduces students to the multi-faceted entity called 'Europe' and looks at key political, social and cultural trends in today Europe, including its geo-political role in a globalised world. Teaching block one focuses on political parties and party families, the growth of populism and of xenophobic parties. Attention is also paid to changing patterns of political participation and the rise of protest politics, which is analysed via a variety of case studies such as environmental organisations, feminist groups and student anti-tuition fees protest. Teaching block two starts by asking a key question: what is Europe? followed by equally important questions such as how Europeans feel about Europe today? Why is Euro-scepticism on the rise throughout Europe? It also investigates European integration and European Union enlargement: does an integrated Europe still make sense as a political project? Was the euro a good idea? Should Turkey be part of the EU? By posing these questions, the module attempts to capture different voices of contemporary Europe in order to equip students with solid grounding to make sense of what is happening in the contemporary world.
The module will be delivered through lectures and seminars.
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
TERM 1
Party systems and party families
The 'Great Crisis' of Socialism: what is left of the European Left?
Anti-politics and populism
Changing patterns in political participation: pressure groups, protest and civil society
European students on the barricades: the struggle against tuition fees
Feminism and gender politics
Trade Unions: resurgence or demise?
Green politics and environmental protest
The 2008 economic crisis and anti-austerity protest.
TERM 2
What is Europe? The evolution of the idea of Europe
Is there a European demos?: European identity and citizenship
European' society?: A sociological view
Migrants and Minorities
Theories of European integration
European institutions: how does 'Europe' work?
European Union enlargement: geopolitics, history and economy
Turkey's place in 'Europe': nationalism, religion and geopolitics
'Europe' and globalisation: the euro, the single market, capitalism
'Europe' as the global norm-setter: democracy, human rights, climate change
The module will be delivered through a combination of lectures and seminars. Lectures will give an outline of each topic and the seminar will allow students to explore this topic in discussion with the seminar teacher and fellow students.
Audio-visual material will be used.
Seminars will be based on a list of questions, which will be made available on Studyspace one week before the seminar. Questions will focus on the weekly topic and they are meant to help students focus their reading and test their understanding and knowledge of the topic. The questions will build towards the more synthetic questions in the in-course assignments and the final essay
| Definitive UNISTATS Category | Indicative Description | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 22 one hour lectures 22 one hour seminars | 44 |
| Guided independent study | Guided reading, preparation for presentations, weekly worksheets and course work | 256 |
| Total (number of credits x 10) | 300 | |
TB1 portfolio (50%)
The TB1 portfolio comprises three elements:
(40%) Take home exam (three questions). Questions will be made available the week before submission (800 words).
(60%) Final essay (1200 words)
TB2 portfolio (50%)
The TB2 portfolio comprises two elements:
(30%) Online quiz on European society and institutions to be completed by TW8
(70%) An essay (1500 words)
Formative assessment:
Weekly worksheets (TB1)
Short presentations (TB1 and TB2)
Students will go through two assessment cycles, one for each term. Each cycle will include a range of ungraded formative exercises such as weekly worksheets (TB1), seminar debates and short presentations (TB1 and TB2), aimed at supporting students in their learning experience and successful completion of summative coursework. Summative assessments comprise a take home exam, two essays and an online quiz and are designed to assess the students' knowledge of, and ability to critically engage with, key issues concerning European politics and society. The marking criteria of both TB1 and TB2 essays will include students' ability to show progress on the module's earlier assessments.
| Learning Outcome | Assessment Strategy |
|---|---|
| Demonstrate an understanding of key political, socio-economic and cultural developments in twenty-first century Europe | Formatively: presentations, worksheets, seminar discussion Summatively: Take home exam, TB1 essay and TB2 essay |
| Reflect critically on pressure groups and protest actors role in today European politics and demonstrate a sound knowledge of the key mobilisation theories utilised in social movements scholarship to explain collective action. | Formatively: presentations, worksheets, seminar discussion Summatively: Take home exam and TB1 essay |
| Demonstrate an enhanced level of factual knowledge about European institutions today and of theories of European integration. | Formatively: presentations, seminar discussions Summatively: Online quiz and TB2 essay |
| Critically evaluate Europe's economic position and geo-political role in the world | Formatively: presentations, seminar discussions Summatively: TB2 essay |
| Approach the study of European affairs in an interdisciplinary way and research, locate and incorporate information from a wide variety of sources | Formatively: presentations, worksheets, seminar discussions Summatively: TB1 take home exam and final essay and TB2 essay, online quiz |
| Confidently engage in discussion with peers and teachers on issues related to European affairs. | Formatively: seminar discussion presentations Summatively:TB1 and TB2 essays |
| Description of Assessment | Definitive UNISTATS Categories | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| CWK | Portfolio | 50% |
| CWK | Portfolio | 50% |
| Total (to equal 100%) | 100% | |
It IS NOT a requirement that any major assessment category is passed separately in order to achieve an overall pass for the module.
Bale, Tim (2013), European Politics. A Comparative Introduction. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Checkel, Jeffrey and Peter Katzenstein (eds) (2009) European Identity, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Delanty, Gerard and Chris Rumford (2005) Rethinking Europe: Social Theory and the Implication of Europeanisation, London: Routeldge.
della Porta Donatella and Mario Diani (2006, 1st ed. 1999), Social Movements. An Introduction. Oxford: Blackwell.
Risse, Thomas (2010) A Community of Europeans?: Transnational Identities and Political Spheres, Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
Rumford, Chris (ed.) (2009) The Sage Handbook of European Studies, London: Sage.
Wiener Antje and Thomas Diez (eds) (2009) European Integration Theory (2nd edition), Oxford: Oxford University Press
Bale, Tim (2013), European Politics. A Comparative Introduction. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Checkel, Jeffrey and Peter Katzenstein (eds) (2009) European Identity, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Delanty, Gerard and Chris Rumford (2005) Rethinking Europe: Social Theory and the Implication of Europeanisation, London: Routeldge.
della Porta Donatella and Mario Diani (2006, 1st ed. 1999), Social Movements. An Introduction. Oxford: Blackwell.
Risse, Thomas (2010) A Community of Europeans?: Transnational Identities and Political Spheres, Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
Rumford, Chris (ed.) (2009) The Sage Handbook of European Studies, London: Sage.
Wiener Antje and Thomas Diez (eds) (2009) European Integration Theory (2nd edition), Oxford: Oxford University Press