European integration and Public Policy

CONCEPTUAL AND THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 

Introduction I - Functioning of the course / Theories of EU integration in historical perspective
Introduction II - EU policy making

EU POLICIES: UNDERSTANDING POLICY INTEGRATION & REFORM IN THE EU

Between distribution and regulation : The Common Agricultural Policy
Distribution and multi-level governance: regional & cohesion policy
Lecture by Antoine Vauchez
The EU as a regulatory state: the Single market
Debriefing of simulation games
Soft coordination & socio-economic policy

TRANSVERSAL PERSPECTIVES ON EU POLICY MAKING

The policy cycle in the EU: from agenda setting to evaluation
Europeanisation and usages of Europe
Debriefing of simulation games + Recap for the exam

The objective of this course is to explain the main dynamics of policy making in the European Union. More specifically, it concerns specific knowledge of EU policies with theoretical and conceptual tools in the field of EU studies and public policy. The course looks at the contents as well as the politics of the EU's internal policies: historical developments, institutional procedures, content and effects of policies, contentious issues surrounding them. It also considers some key transversal issues such; 

At the end of the semester, the students must be able to:

• explain the historical development of specific EU policy areas
• connect specific EU policies with the different types of policy and decision making in the EU
• analyse and discuss policy issues, including EU's current affairs
• produce oral and written reports on policy issues

Lectures will be complemented by:

• debates about policy issues
• Q&A sessions about readings
• small scale simulation games

Contribution to the teaching profile

This course complements the module on deicison making in the EU and other modules in specific policy areas by giving an overview of most EU policy areas and policy making processes, inlcuding horizontal perspectives e.g. Europeanisation.

References, bibliography, and recommended reading

There is one mandatory textbook accompanying the course: R. Coman, A. Crespy & V. Schmidt (2020) Governance and Politics in the Post-Crisis European Union, Cambridge University Press.
Other relevant references: 

Saurugger, S. (2013) Theoretical Approaches to European Integration, Palgrave.
Versluis, E., van Keulen, M. & Stephenson, P. (2011) Analyzing the European Union policy process, Palgrave.
Buonanno, L. & Nugent, N. (2013) Policies and policy processes of the European Union, Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Bache, I., Bulmer, S., George, S. & Parker, O. (2011) Politics in the European Union, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Wallace H. & Wallace W. (eds) (2015) Policy-making in the European Union, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Contacts

Amandine Crespy: acrespy@ulb.ac.be

Office: S.S.11.113

Campus

Solbosch

Method(s) of evaluation

• Other

Other

Oral exam: 10 minutes preparation to prepare a brief presentation about one broad question, followed by a discussion and questions on other aspects of the course

Simulation game: small scale simulation game in groups, including a written report on how the game was prepared.

Mark calculation method (including weighting of intermediary marks)

Exam: 70%
Simulation game (including written report): 30%

Language(s) of evaluation

• english