The course analyses the European unification process in the twentieth century, giving specific attention to the interaction between the institutional construction, the Cold War, the organisation of the Western bloc and the evolution of international relations after the end of the Cold War to the present time.
(a) A. Landuyt (ed.), European Integration between History and New Challenges (Bologna, il Mulino, 2015). (b) P. Winand, A. Benvenuti, M. Guderzo (eds), The External Relations of the European Union: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives (Bruxelles, P.I.E. Peter Lang, 2015). (c) Essays and documents quoted during the course: only for students who can attend lectures. (d) D. Dinan, Europe Recast: A History of European Union (Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2014): only for students who cannot attend lectures.
Obiettivi Formativi
(a) Knowledge: In-depth knowledge of the history of European unification; basic understanding of the EU political system and institutional structure; analysis of the relationship between the EU and its Member States. (b) Skills: Students will learn to analyse sources and bibliography, the changing role of EU institutions in making policy and legislation, and the implications of the EU as a supranational political system; to apply notions on EU history in discussions about EU institutions, policy areas and policy-making; to assess the reliability of public information about EU history and developments. (c) Abilities: By completing the course students will be able to interpret EU historical developments in a personal and critical way, based on due knowledge of documents and scientific literature.
Prerequisiti
Students must already master key concepts of the history of international relations and the history of European construction in the twentieth century.
Metodi Didattici
Lectures and seminars led by the teacher and other scholars and experts. Students who attend the course will receive reading recommendations and will be asked to present individual or collective essays on specific issues.
Altre Informazioni
Weekly timetable of lectures and final test dates are available in another section of the website.
Modalità di verifica apprendimento
Comprehensive final written exam in English, consisting of three essay questions in three hours. The final grade is based on both content and presentation, as the essay tests give students a chance to organize, evaluate and think about the suggested topics. Writing proficiency is part of the evaluation. Since students who attend lectures are also expected to prepare and present individual or collective essays on specific issues, their presentations will be evaluated according to the following criteria: the talk was well prepared; the topic was clearly explained; the speaker mastered the subject, provided convincing conclusions and discussed their implications.
Programma del corso
The course belongs to the Jean Monnet Chair in the History of European Unification. Composed of three modules, it also includes lectures and seminars prepared by some collaborators of the Chair in the History of International Relations. The course offers a critical second-level (magistrale) interpretation of the history of European construction. Drawing chronological and thematic patterns, lectures study the main problems of unification since 1945. Students who attend lectures will receive reading recommendations and will have to prepare and present individual or collective essays on specific issues in agreement with the teachers and their collaborators.