34728 - The European Political System

Course contents

The course analyses the how the main EU institutions work and their relationships with the main state actors in the integration process

Readings/Bibliography

L. Rapone, Storia dell'integrazione europea, Roma, Carocci, 2002 (basic text book on European Integration), supplemented by D. Dinan, The European Integration Process, in C.Hay-A Menon (a cura di), European Politics, Oxford. Oxford University Press, 2007, pp. 151-167.

M. Brunazzo, Come funziona l'Unione Europea, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2009.

M. Ferrera, M. Giuliani (eds), Governance e politiche nell'Unione Europea, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2008, only: introduzione, capp. 1, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, conclusioni 

the following chapters: S. Hix, The European Union as a Polity (I), M. Jachtenfuchs, The European Union as a Polity (II), T. Raunio, Political Parties in the European Union, Public Opinion, Socialization and Political Communication, in K.E. Jorgensen- M. A Pollack, B. Rosamond (eds.) Handbook of European Union Politics, London, Sage, 2008

the following entries cleavages, dual mandates, electoral cycles, electoral system, european referendums, euroscepticism, identity, in Y. Deloye, M. Bruter (eds.) Handbook of European Elections, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2007.

G. Baldini, Ancora un "No". Il referendum irlandese, la democrazia e le istituzioni europee, in P. Pombeni (a cura di), L'Europa di carta. Stampa e opinione pubblica in Europa nel 2008, Bologna, Il Mulino, pp. 25-39.

G.Laschi, M. Telò (eds.), L'Europa nel sistema internazionale, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2009, only these parts: pp.53-72, 113-138, 253-286 (non-attending students will have to read also M. Clementi, L'Europa e il mondo, Bologna, il Mulino, 2004).

A.Moravcsik, Europe: The Quiet Superpower, in French Politics, vol.7, n. 3-4, 2009, pp. 403-422.

Further reading from selected Journals will be provided during classes. Students attending at least 75% of the classes will work on an "international adoption" experiment. By choosing a Member country, and a related Commissioner and MEP, they will work on an essay to be presented in class during the last weeks of the course. The essay, and the related presentatio, will focus on choices and strategies of the subjects chosen in the light of the last 20 years of European integration. Relevant material will be agreed with the teacher during classes: one can find useful material on past European elections in  J. Lodge (ed.), The 2004 elections to the European Parliament, Palgrave, 2005 (as well as in previous editions by same editor).

Teaching methods

Lectures; in the second part of the course students are strongly encouraged to take an active part in the course by submitting and discussing a brief essay (2000 words).

Assessment methods

Final written exam. An intermediate written test is scheduled for students attending at least 3/4 of the lectures. For students presenting an essay in the second part of the course, the final exam will consist in a brief oral exam

Teaching tools

ppt presentations

Office hours

See the website of Gianfranco Baldini