2023-2024 / SPOL0091-1

Introduction to EU politics

Duration

20h Th

Number of credits

 Extra courses intended for exchange students (Erasmus, ...) (Faculty of Law, Political Science and Criminology)5 crédits 

Lecturer

Quentin Michel

Substitute(s)

Enzo Caponetti

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

The lectures will be organised along three main chapters.

The first chapter will be devoted to the main actors and the decision-making process of the European Union. It will focus on the different actors and the strategies they intend to develop within the EU.

The second chapter will be dedicated to the analysis of the scope of competencies that are actually being held by the European Union. This will include a presentation of general principles of EU functioning, i.e. the principle of subsidiary and the principle of attribution. In addition, an in-depth study of competencies, as well as practical examples of their implementation, will be provided.

The third chapter will intend to provide an insight into the Common Foreign and Security Policy. History, mechanisms, evolution, and prospects for the future will be at the heart of the study of the capacity and ambitions of the European Union to project itself as a powerful actor on the international stage. It will allow the possibility also to be introduced to and discuss the notions of "security" and "defence" in the European context.

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

The course's objective will be to analyse and explain the main elements of European policies and  décision making process, such as:

  • EU competencies;
  • EU legal principles (conferral; subsidiarity; sincere cooperation; competence sharing, etc) ;
  • EU actors (who does what) ;
  • the balance of power of these actors in the institutional framework of the different EU policies.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

None

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Ex-cathedra lectures and periodic sessions of comprehension questions to facilitate the assimilation of the contents seen

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Blended learning


Additional information:

First semester course. Two hours of lecture per week.

Face-to-face lectures but virtual sessions may be organised.

Recommended or required readings

Slides will be provided after each lecture on eCampus 

Exam(s) in session

Any session

- In-person

oral exam


Additional information:

Oral exam.

Work placement(s)

Organisational remarks and main changes to the course

Contacts

e.caponetti@uliege.be
qmichel@uliege.be

Association of one or more MOOCs