ESF:PVEPSI Political and social identity - Course Information

PVEPSI Economic Political and social identity in the European Union

Extent and Intensity

2/1/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).

Teacher(s)

John Frederick Wilton, B.A. (Hons), M. Soc Sc, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Ing. David Špaček, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)

Guaranteed by

doc. JUDr. Ivan Malý, CSc.
Department of Public Economics – Faculty of Economics and Administration
Contact Person: Lenka Jílková

Timetable

Tue 14. 4. 16:20–19:35 P103, Fri 17. 4. 11:05–14:30 P106, Tue 21. 4. 16:20–19:35 P103, Fri 24. 4. 11:05–14:30 P106, Tue 28. 4. 16:20–19:35 P103, Tue 5. 5. 16:20–19:35 P103

Course Enrolment Limitations

The course is offered to students of any study field.
The capacity limit for the course is 25 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/25, only registered: 0/25, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/25

Course objectives

The course has the following objectives:
- to introduce a range of theories and concepts identified as useful in analysing any future construction of the economic, political and social European Union identity;
- to understand the possible interaction between national, regional and European Union identity at the economic, political and socio-cultural levels;
- to employ the concepts in assessing the opportunities, processes and possibilities for such a construction of a citizenship based on European Union identity.

Syllabus

• LECTURE CONTENT:
• 1. Identity as a concept: the narrative of identity in the economic, socio-cultural and political sphere:
• - the theoretical concept of identity
• - the symbols and processes that produce and contribute to identity
• - the development of the identity of the European Union as an institution
• 2. The development of the identity of the European Union:
• - the founding principles and historical development of the European Union
• - how the identity of the European Union relates to its interests and its actions
• - European Union integration and expansion: federalism, functionalism and neo-functionalism
• 3. Social Constructivism and EU identity:
• - the theory of social constructivism
• - identity constituted by the institutionalized norms, values and ideas of the economic, political and social environment of the European Union
• 4. New Institutionalism, Behaviouralism, and EU identity:
• - New Institutionalist and Behaviouralist theory
• - the capacity of cultural and organizational practices within EU institutions to mould the preferences, interests and identities of EU citizens
• - the capacity of, and impact on, economic and social movements and practices (including cultural practices) in shaping EU identity
• 5. Identity and European Union core values:
• - democracy
• - the rule of law
• - peace and security
• - economic stability and prosperity
• - respect for human rights and minority rights
• - diversity
• 6. European Union for citizens to identify with:
• a) federalism and subsidiarity
• b) the European Union’s international global image, globalisation and EU citizen identity
• - European Union identity alongside Europe of economic, political and socio-cultural regional identity
• - Federalism, Europe of Regions, and European Union identity
• - The impact of the international role of the EU and globalisation on EU citizen identity
• 7. EU identity today:
• - the perspective of EU citizens
• - attitudes to European Union identity in surveys and opinion polls
• - policy networks, policy actors, multi-level governance and the relationship between EU institutional identity and EU citizen identity
• 8. European Union identity in the future
• - constructed through a narrative of the economic, political and socio-cultural development of the European Union
• - the interaction of multi-level economic, socio-cultural and political development
• - the impact of the European Union constitution.

Literature

• Cederman, L. (ed.) Constructing Europes Identity: The External Dimension, London, Lynne Reinner, 2001.
• Christiansen, T. Jorgensen, K.E. and Weiner, A. (Editors) The Social Construction of Europe, London, Sage, 2001.
• Dunkerley, D. et al Changing Europe: identities, nations and citizens, London, Routledge, 2002.
• Graham, B. Modern Europe: place, culture and identity, London, Arnold, 1998.
• Nicoll, W. and Salmon, T.C. Understanding the European Union, Harlow, Longman, 2001.
• Poole, R. Nation and identity, London, Routledge, 1999.
• Shore, C. Building Europe: the cultural politics of the European Union, London, Routledge, 2000.
• Zeff, E. and Pirro, E. The European Union and the Member States: Cooperation, Coordination, and Compromise, London, Lynne Reinner, 2001.
• Fossum, J.E. Identity Politics in the European Union, in Journal of European Integration, Vol.23, Number 4.
• Journal of European Public Policy 6:4, 1999 (Special Issue on The Social Construction of Europe).
• Other literature and web pages as specified in the syllabus.

Assessment methods

WORKSHOPS:
In the workshop students will be required to work collectively in the first part of the session on particular theories and issues within the course and then present their collective findings to the student group within the workshop in the second part of the session.

SEMINARS:
Seminars will consist of presentations by students or groups of students on particular issues and topics prepared by students prior to the seminar.
Students will be required to prepare individual or collective group presentations and papers on one of the following topics:
1. Is national, local/regional or European identity the most prevalent amongst citizens in your town/city/region and country today?
2. Social constructivism can contribute significantly to the promotion of the values and ideas of the economic, political and social environment of the European Union, and thereby assist the development of European Union citizen identity. Do you agree?
3. Federalism, Federal European Union, and true Europe of Regions offer the best structure to promote the development of European Union citizen identity. Do you agree?
4. What is the relationship between the core values of the European Union and the construction and development of European Union citizen identity?

ASSESSMENT:
- Essay
Students will be required to write an essay of between 1500 (minimum) and 2000 (maximum) words (between 4 and 6 pages of an A4 sheet) in answer to ONE of the questions determined and approved at the start of the course. Essays should be properly and fully referenced, and include full bibliography. They should be word-processed or typed.
ESSAYS MUST BE HANDED IN TO JOHN WILTON AT TIME, PLACE AND DATE DETERMINED BEFORE THE START OF THE COURSE.

Language of instruction

English

Further comments (probably available only in Czech)

Study Materials
The course is taught only once.

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