36419 - Political and economic integration of the European Union - Jean Monnet Chair

Course contents

The course aims to provide students with a general knowledge on political and economic aspects of the process of Integration using an historical approach. A special attention will be paid to the different European Institutions in order to understand their composition and how they work.

General scheme of lectures

The European situation after the World War II; the new international American order, the Reconstruction, the Marshall Plan; the first trials of the Community: OEEC, ECSC, EDC, EEC and Euratom; International Relations and economic boom; Altiero Spinelli, Ernesto Rossi and the European Federalism; the enlargement of the Community (from 6 to 27 members); the elaborations of the Community (History of the treaties); the European Union; the European Constitution and the Treaty of Lisbon; the European Governance; introduction to the Institutions; the European Commission; the European Council and the Council of Ministers; the European Court of Justice; the BCE; the EIB and the monetary Policy; the European Economic and Social Committee; the Committee of the Regions; the Court of Auditors; the European Ombudsman; the European Data Protection Supervisor; other Offices and Agencies.

Readings/Bibliography

List of texts: A. Spinelli, Il Manifesto di Ventotene, Il Mulino, 1991; M. Maggiorani, L'Europa degli altri. Comunisti italiani e integrazione europea (1957-1969), Carocci, 1998; S. Guarracino, Storia degli ultimi cinquant'anni. Sistema internazionale e sviluppo economico dal 1945 a oggi, Milano, Mondadori, 1999; J.K.A. Thomaneck e B. Niven, La Germania dalla divisione all'unificazione, Il Mulino, 2005; F. Fauri, L'Italia e l'integrazione economica europea, Il Mulino, 2001; M. Gilbert, Storia politica dell'integrazione europea, Laterza, 2005; B. Olivi, R. Santaniello, Storia dell'integrazione europea, Il Mulino, 2005.

Assessment methods

Students will have two alternatives:

a)      Oral exam: in this case they will need to base their studies on the text: M. Maggiorani, La sfida dell'Unione. Una introduzione alla storia, alla società e alle Istituzioni dell'Europa unita (1945-2007), Clueb, 2008; they will be asked as well to study one of the text-books indicated in the Bibliography or suggested during the course;

b)      Written thesis/essay: some interesting topics of research will be presented to students at the beginning of the course; the written thesis replaces the oral exam.

Teaching tools

Charts, video, tables.

Office hours

See the website of Mauro Maggiorani