|
UC Center Program Courses - Fall 2007
PCC 115. France and european integration
Prof.
Mariam Habibi
Office hours: By appointment
|
Lecture
Tuesday & Thursday 10:45am - 12:15pm |
Over the past 200 years, the destiny of Europe has witnessed spectacular ups and downs. Once an imperial power controlling some 1/3 of the planet, the Europe of 1945 shrivelled in stature and in strength. At pains with its own reconstruction, it also had to renounce control of its colonial empire. The Cold War, following the Second World War, divided Europe into two hostile camps thus adding to its insecurity and humiliation.
Europe's upheavals in the twentieth century however gave birth to a new vision; a vision that finally realised and became sensitive to the dangers of nationalism and over protective economies, strove to surpass national boundaries and thus sought to regain some of its lost prestige and strength. The shattering experience of two world wars that tore Europe apart, gave birth to 'an ever closer union between the peoples of Europe', in other words, the European Union. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the bipolar world, this relatively young institution has come to play a continuously greater role in world affairs. Consequently it has undergone numerous important changes in a short period of time. Today the European Union is living through probably the most momentous period of its existence: it has on the one hand enlarged and reunited with its other half, thus bringing together 455 million people. On the other hand, through the writing of a constitution it sought to carve out a more definable identity for itself. The failure of the Constitutional Treaty in 2004 showed how fragile and non linear this passage has so far been.
France 's role in the initial creation and the subsequent evolution of this union has been far from minimal. The very idea of unity was announced in a speech by Jean Monnet, a member of the French Committee of National Liberation, back in 1943. The Plan that led to the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community, the forerunner of the European Economic Community, which eventually became the European Union was named after France 's foreign minister, Robert Schuman. The committee responsible for the writing of a constitution for the European Union was presided by another Frenchman, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. France was also the first country to reject the European constitution, thus paving the way for a possible turning point. Though significant, France 's contributions have however not always been constructive. On many occasions France has been accused of putting her national interests before those of Europe . Their general stance can be summed in President Mitterrand's ambiguous phrase: ' France is our homeland, but Europe is our future'.
The aim of this class is to provide a general introduction to the history, the structure and the current developments of the European Union, with a specific focus on France . We shall start first with a historical examination of the reasons that led to the creation of the union, we will then turn to its evolution over the years and finally look at the recent events and discuss what lies ahead in the future for the European Union. 5.0 UC Quarter Credits
COURSE MATERIALS
- Roy H. Ginsberg, Demystifying the European Union: The Enduring Logic of Regional Integration, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2007
- Course Reader (hereby referred to as [CR])
- Online resources including a Course Resource Page, additional Online Scholarly Articles, and a Dossier of documents and news coverage, to be consulted by all students.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
All the following requirements are necessary to complete the course and receive the final grade:
• A class presentation: 'European Union this Week' (10 minutes): 10 %.
Each student will provide a brief presentation on ONE event in the European Union during their assigned week. This will take place at the start of the Thursday class. The material for this assignment should be found in dailies such as The International Herald Tribune, the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and weeklies such as Time Magazine, Newsweek and the Economist. There are also a number of Internet sites that provide electronic news on the Union and their institutions: www.europa.eu.int, www.info-europe.fr. Students are expected to stay up to date with the events inside the European Union, throughout the course.
• Study Questions at the end of every chapter of the book and participation in weekly discussion section. 10%.
Students are required to keep to the assigned readings every week. We would start every week (Tuesday class) with the Study Questions of the chapter from the text book. Additional study questions might be given some weeks. Each student will provide the answers to THREE of the questions (of their own choice) in a written form and these will be collected every class. The answers need not be longer than one paragraph. The Study Questions will then be covered in the discussion section run by Emily Matthews on Thursdays from 5.30-6.30pm at the UC Paris Center.
• A mid-term exam. 30 %
• A case study on a topic of the student's choice. 20%
Instructions for this paper will be found at the end of this syllabus. PLEASE FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. The topic for the research paper MUST be handed in by Week 8. The paper should NOT exceed 5 pages. It should be presented orally to class thus allowing a classroom discussion and finally handed in for grading. This should take no more than 15 - 20 minutes.
• A final exam: 30% covering all the material covered in the course. This will take place in the last lesson of the course.
• THERE A NUMBER OF MANDATORY OUTINGS IN THIS CLASS. THESE ARE NOT DURING CLASS TIME. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU WRITE DOWN THE SPECIFIC DATES.
Assignments and Grades
All the following requirements are necessary to complete the course and receive the final grade:
- A class presentation: 'European Union this Week' (10 minutes): 10%
Each student will provide a brief presentation on ONE event in the European Union during their assigned week. This will take place at the start of the Thursday class. The material for this assignment should be found in dailies such as The International Herald Tribune, the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and weeklies such as Time Magazine, Newsweek and the Economist. There are also a number of Internet sites that provide electronic news on the Union and their institutions:
www.europa.eu.int, www.info-europe.fr
Students are expected to stay up to date with the events inside the European Union, throughout the course.
- Study Questions at the end of every chapter of the book: 10%
Students are required to keep to the assigned readings every week. We would start every week (Tuesday class) with the Study Questions of the chapter from the text book. Additional study questions might be given some weeks. Each student will provide the answers to THREE of the questions (of their own choice) in a written form and these will be collected every class. The answers need not be longer than one paragraph.
- A mid-term exam: 30 %
- A case study on a topic of the student's choice: 20%
Students will receive special instructions for this paper. PLEASE FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. The topic for the research paper MUST be handed in by Week 8. The paper should NOT exceed 5 pages. It should be presented orally to class thus allowing a classroom discussion and finally handed in for grading. This should take no more than 15 - 20 minutes
- A final exam: 30%
covering all the material covered in the course. This will take place in the last lesson of the course.
Class Policies
Absence Policy: Students are expected to attend all sessions, mandatory outings, and sections. Students have the right to two non-excused absences from lecture, and one non-excused absence from section. Excused absences fall into two categories: sickness or unforeseen emergency and school-sponsored activities. When a student misses a class, responsibility for making up missed work rests solely on his or her shoulders.
Academic dishonesty: Regardless of the quality of work, plagiarism is punishable with a ‘failing grade' in the class and possible expulsion from the Program. Plagiarism may be broadly defined as copying of materials from sources, without the acknowledgment of having done so, claiming other's ideas as one's own without proper reference to them, and buying materials such as essays/exams.
Late assignments: Deadlines for assignments are to be respected. Late assignments will be downgraded. There are NO additional or make up assignments.
Required books:
Roy H. Ginsberg, Demystifying the European Union: the Enduring Logic of Regional Integration Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2007.
Additional articles.
A list of extra readings have been added to your CD Reader. These are mainly for your own interest but you may also be asked to read some of the articles for class.
COURSE SCHEDULE
WEEK 1 : September 11th &13th
The History of Europe and the birth of the 'Idea of Europe'
Students requiring background should consult Kevin Wilson and Jan van der Dussen, The History of the Idea of Europe, on the Reserve Shelf in the Library.
Reading:
- Read Roberta Guerrina, Europe: History, Ideas, ideologies (class handout)
- Timothy Garton Ash 'Are you a European' [CR]
- Roy H. Ginsberg, Demystifying the European Union: the Enduring Logic of Regional Integration, Chapter 1.
WEEK2: September 18 th & 20 th
The History of Europe: Projects for Europe
Assignment:
• The Briand Memorandum: a Union not a unity
• The Ventotene Manifesto: For a free and united Europe
• D.C. Villanueva, Richard von Coudenhove Kalergi's Pan Europa as the Elusive 'Object of Longing'.
• Roy H. Ginsberg, Demystifying the European Union: the Enduring Logic of Regional Integration, Chapter 1.
Study Questions:
• Questions at the end of Chapter one.
• How important have historical factors been in shaping the idea of European integration?
WEEK3: September 25 th , 27 th & 28 th
Focus on France :
France during the Second World War
There WILL be a section this week, on Thursday 27 Sept at the normal time.
A ssignment:
• Read the speech by Jean Monnet (in your Course Reader) to discuss in class
• Read Tint, Chapter 7: ‘Defeat and Occupation 1939-1944 (in your reader)
• Henri Rousso, passages from The Vichy Syndrome
• John Lichfield, 'Patriotism and pride come first as Sarkozy takes power' The Independent, 27 May 2007.
Study Questions:
1. Why does Monnet consider France alone capable of leading Europe after the war?
2. What is meant by France 's strange defeat ?
3. Is Sarkozy revising history?
Class excursion: CANCELLED
The Invalides visit has been rescheduled on Friday 5 Oct
There will be no presentation this week.
There will be no section with Emily Matthews this week.
WEEK4: October 2 nd & 4 th
France since the Second World War
* PLEASE NOTE: there will NOT be a section on Thursday, 4 Oct
Assignment:
• Stovall, Chapter 2: ‘Liberation and Renewal.' (in your reader)
• Read McMillan, Chapter 16 : ‘De Gaulle's Republic' (in your reader)
• Robert Schuman ' Declaration of 9 May 1950'
Study Questions:
• France 's economic difficulties after the war?
• The importance of coal.
• The fall of the PCF after the war.
• Schuman's speech: underline the novelty of the program proposed.
WEEK5: October 9 th & 11 th
Steps towards integration: "How did we get here?"
The economic and legal foundations of the European Community
Reading :
- Roy H. Ginsberg, Demystifying the European Union: the Enduring Logic of Regional Integration, Chapter 2
Study Questions:
- Key concepts and study questions at the end of chapter 2
WEEK 6: October 16 th & 18 th
The Institutions of the EU:
What is the role of each institution and how do they work
Assignment:
- Roy H. Ginsberg, Demystifying the European Union: the Enduring Logic of Regional Integration, Part II, Chapters 4 &5
Study Questions:
- Key concepts and study questions at the end of chapters 4 & 5
WEEK7: October 23 rd & 25 th
Interest Groups and lobbies: Governance and democracy
Assignment:
- Elizabeth Bomberg and Alexander Stubb. The European Union: How does it work? Oxford University Press, 2004, chapters 8.
Study Questions:
1.Does the EU NEED to be democratic?
2.Can a polity be democratic without being legitimate?
3.Look over the Discussion questions at the end of the chapters.
MIDTERM
Time and Place announced in class.
HAND IN THE TOPIC FOR THE RESEARCH PAPER.
BREAK: October 27th - November 4th.
WEEK 8: November 6 th , 8 th & 9 th
The EU as a global actor
Reading :
- Roy H. Ginsberg, Demystifying the European Union: the Enduring Logic of Regional Integration, Chapter 7.
November 8 th :
Professor William Chandler will visit the class to speak on Franco-German relations.
Class excursion: Friday Novemeber 9 th
The Assembly of the Western European Union
www.assemblee-ueo.eu
43, Avenue du Président Wilson.
Métro: Trocadéro (ligne 6)or Iena (ligne 9)
There will be no presentation this week.
There will be no section with Emily Matthews this week.
WEEK9: November 13th & 15th
The purposes of the EU as a polity:
Case study: Common Agricultural Policy
Assignment:
• Roy H. Ginsberg, Demystifying the European Union: the Enduring Logic of Regional Integration, chapter 6. This chapter will be discussed over two weeks.
Study Questions:
Key concepts and study questions at the end of chapter 7
WEEK10: November 20 th , 22 nd , and 23 rd
The purposes of the EU as a polity:
Case study: The monetary Policy
Assignment:
• Roy H. Ginsberg, Demystifying the European Union: the Enduring Logic of Regional Integration, chapter 6
CLASS EXCURSION: FRIDAY NOVEMBER 23rd: BRUSSELS.
There will be no section with Emily Matthews this week.
WEEK 11: November 27 th & 29 th
November 27th:
PROFESSOR CHRISTIAN DEUBNER WILL BE SPEAKING TO CLASS ON THE FUTURE OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION AND THE CONSTITUIONAL TREATY.
November 29th
Member states: Enlargement, merging Old and New
Assignment:
• Roy H. Ginsberg, Demystifying the European Union: the Enduring Logic of Regional Integration, Chapter 8.
Study Questions:
- Key concepts and study questions at the end of chapter 6
- Should Turkey become a member of the EU?
WEEK12: December 4th & 6th
The external Dimensions of European integration
Assignment:
• Roy H. Ginsberg, Demystifying the European Union: the Enduring Logic of Regional Integration, Chapter 9
WEEK 13: December 11 th & December 13 th
Tuesday 11th : PRESENTATION OF PAPERS
Thursday 13th : FINAL EXAM
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Instructions for the Research Paper:
The aim of the term paper for this course is to apply many of the things you have learnt in this class to the real world. It is for you to show your understanding of the institution of the EU and show how it actually works. It is more of a case study than a research.
To give you an example:
EU and the environment:
Take a specific policy that the EU has adopted or is about to adopt on the environment.
Choose the following:
• Explain/analyse the procedure it went through / or is going through to be ratified. What position did individual countries take? Who was it proposed by? Which countries opposed it? What type of debate took place at each level of its ratification?
• Look at the role of lobbies/interest groups in the initiation of this policy.
• Look at the implementation of this particular policy.
• Look at cases ( if any) of non implementation that may have reached the Court of Justice
And so on….
Other examples could include:
• Adhesion of a new country: as you know there were debates recently over the adhesion of Croatia ( not to mention Turkey )
• A dispute with a particular company on the basis of the competition laws
• Policy of regional languages
• A particular case form the Court of Justice
• The stability pact
Your research will therefore be mainly on the web and looking at official EU material and possibly debates in journals and newspapers and magazines. There is no need (given the length of the essay) to go into a historical background, but it is necessary to contextualize the debate and show its significance today.
|
