Syllabus
Course title: The European Union: Integration and democratization
Study program: MSc Programs Public and Social Policy (VSP)
(Voluntary course of MSc Programs PSP/ optional for all students, including bachelor degree (Erasmus students), Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University
Scope of instruction: 1/1 (lectures/seminars)
Credits available: 6 credits
Course number: JSM733, Fall Term 2020/2021
Time and place: Fridays, 09:30-10:50 a.m.(Lectures/Seminars): Room: JP212
The web page of the course available in Moodle: xx
Lectures and Seminars:
Head of Lectures and Seminar classes:
Mgr. Emilija Tudzarovska Gjorgjievska: emilija.tudjarovska@soc.cas.cz emilija.tudzarovska@fsv.cuni.cz https://www.soc.cas.cz/en/lide/emilija-tudzarovska-gjorgjievska
Consultations to be booked beforehand via e-mail.
Seminar class language of instruction is English.
Goals of instruction:
The aim of this course is to improve the knowledge of students of the functioning of the European Union, as a Union of member states. The main perspective will be put on understanding the following concepts a) EU integration process (representative democracies, the role of the political parties, national parliaments, the rising risks of populism/technocratic populism); b) the process of democratization/key challenges. These concepts will be analysed in the context of the European Union as a polity of member states and their duties towards the citizens of the EU and the citizens of its nation-states (legitimacy, legitimation, and democratization).
Main Objectives:
The course will introduce students to the functioning of the European Union and its institutions. Preparatory readings will include contributions from EU integration theories, political science/political sociology and foreign policy. This course is designed to help students acquire knowledge about the EU key challenges in internal framework (EU nation-states/member states; representative democracies; democratic backsliding) and external framework (answer to crisis in global context, i.e. financial crisis, migration crisis, Brexit, Covid-19 pandemic). After completion of this course, students should be able to:
- Know about the functioning of the European Union: the key challenges of its functioning/ EU Institutions; EU decision-making and its challenges (post-financial crisis, Brexit, management during/of COVID-19 pandemic etc.)
- Know about the key challenges to liberal democracy and democratization process, including backsliding in the quality of democracy; (cases of CEE countries)
- Engage in critical thinking and studying about the contemporary EU affairs, i.e. engagement with contemporary scholarly discussion on the EU/global affairs.
Registration prerequisites:
This voluntary course is offered to students of the Masters programmes of Public and Social Policy (Veřejná a sociální politika) and and for international visiting students (e.g., Erasmus students) enrolled in Bachelor at Charles University.
Conditions for passing:
Students shall be admitted to the written examination for this course (in English) if they have been sufficiently graded for their performance in lectures and seminars, and if they have elaborated and submitted a final written assignment (in English) on an agreed topic. The topic shall be based on prior consultations with head of the course.
Student’s performance in lectures will be evaluated as follows:
Students should submit written papers/assignment on questions associated with the topics of the lectures prior taking the final written examination. Questions will be available two weeks in advance. The submission deadline for final written assignments is 10th of December. Answers should be e-mailed to the Head of Lectures/Seminars classes: Mgr. Emilija Tudzarovska Gjorgjievska (emilija.tudjarovska@soc.cas.cz). Answers to written papers/assignment (up to 3,000 characters, spaces included) will be evaluated as per the given Table 1. The final written examination will take form of a (critical review) essay (up to 5,000 characters) on a question(s) as per the given lectures.
For student’s performance in seminars consult seminar syllabus.
Table 1: Points can be earned in the following ways:
Item
Min
Max
Student’s performance in lectures 10 20
Student’s performance in seminars 10 20
Final written assignment 12 25
Written examination 18 35
Total 50 100
Table 2: Final grading shall be based on the following formula (provided the student earns at least the minimum number of points for each particular item – consult Table 1):
Final point score
Grade 91 or more
A
Excellent (výtečně) 81–90
B
Very Good (velmi dobře) 71–80
C
Good (dobře) 61–70
D
Satisfactorily (uspokojivě) 51–60
E
Sufficiently (dostatečně) 50 or less
F
Fail (nedostatečně)
N. B.:
- Sources shall be credited in line with the latest version of the ISO 690 standard. No form of plagiarism is tolerated at the Charles University. Any instances of plagiarism shall be discussed by the Disciplinary Board and, eventually, the Dean.
- The final written assignment shall be submitted to the mentor in a sufficient quality and approved by him/her (via e-mail or hand written) as a condition of enrolment for the written examination.
Time: Fridays: 09.30-10.50 a.m. (Lectures) and (Seminars): Fridays: 09:30-10.50 a.m.
Time can be subject to change. *tbc: To be confirmed.
Day
Rooms