EVS115 EU Relations with Arab Countries

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2010
Extent and Intensity
0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Ing. Yvona Novotná, Ph.D. (lecturer), PhDr. Zdeněk Sychra, Ph.D. (deputy)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Markéta Pitrová, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Timetable
Tue 5. 10. to Fri 17. 12. each even Tuesday 14:00–17:40 exP21
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 88 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/88, only registered: 0/88
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 19 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The course “EU Relations with Arab Countries“ enables students not only to understand but also to evaluate the evolution of relations between the European Community, later European Union and Arabic states, from the beginning of European integration with the emphasis on current situation. On successful completion of the course, students shall be able to analyze not only the economic, political and cultural cooperation but also the institutional configuration of the EUs relations with Arabic states, as well as the relations of the Arabic states with the Czech Republic. Students will gain a better orientation in the issues under analysis and will also further improve their analytical skills.
Syllabus
  • I. Geographically-political and economic characteristics of the Mediterranean countries as EUs partners for cooperation and integration:
  • 1.-2. Geographically-political and economic position of the Mediterranean countries at the end of 90s; economic growth and its impact on the region, different with specific groups of countries; engagement of Mediterranean countries in world trade – trends in development; other characteristics of the Mediterranean region.
  • II. Historically-political relations of the EU member states and Mediterranean countries: comparative aspects:
  • 3.-4. Historical links of countries gradually integrated into the European Communities with former colonial dependants in the Mediterranean; political links of the EC member states with groups of countries as well as single countries in the Mediterranean region: the sum of four decades of relations; main foreign policy lines of the Mediterranean countries towards EU member states in the 80s and 90s and the way they are determined by changes of the international settings; internal political situation in the Mediterranean countries as a basis for their economic policies.
  • III. Legally-institutional configuration of the EC/EUs relations with the Mediterranean countries.
  • 5.-6. Legal structure development form 60s to this day: association agreements, trade agreements (preferential and non-preferential), cooperation agreements, accession to the EC; Euro-Mediterranean partnership; ratified agreements of the EU and the countries of the Mediterranean: classification of states into groups according to the level of cooperation; brief characterization of different types of relations (including problems): candidates for accession, association agreements on the Euro-Mediterraneam partnership, cooperation agreements, sanctions.
  • IV. Economic and financial relations of the EU with Mediterranean partners: general trends and specifics according to groups.
  • 7.-8. Level of economic cooperation of the EU with groups of countries and single countries form the point of view of the commercial exchange, agricultural cooperation, investment and joint ventures, development and technical assistance; benefits of closer economic cooperation with the EU for different Mediterranean countries; the EUs advantages resulting from mutual cooperation.
  • V. Relations of the EU and its Mediterranean partners in the field of culture, education and other social matters.
  • 9.-10. Euro-Mediterranean cooperation in the field of culture; Euro-Mediterranean cooperation in the field of education; Euro-Mediterranean cooperation in the field of health service; migration and labour force flows in the Euro-Mediterranean partnership; other aspects of cooperation within the Euro-Mediterranean partnership.
  • VI. Impact of the EU/EU member states cooperation with the countries of the Mediterranean on economic an other relations with the Czech republic.
  • 11.-12. Present state of the relations between the Czech republic and the Mediterranean countries – a review; areas of secondary influence of the Euro-Mediterranean cooperation on the Czech Republic – tariffs and non-tariff barriers, ISC, investment financing, etc.; impact and problems of mutual relations.
  • VII.
  • 13. Final Exam
Literature
  • CAMERON, Fraser. An introduction to European foreign policy. 1st pub. London: Routledge, 2007, xx, 255. ISBN 9780415407670. info
  • The contemporary Middle East. Edited by Karl Yambert. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 2005, xxviii, 30. ISBN 0813343399. info
  • Contemporary European foreign policy. Edited by Walter Carlsnaes - Helene Sjursen - Brian White. London: Sage, 2004, x, 278. ISBN 1412900018. info
  • European foreign policy : from rhetoric to reality? Edited by Dieter Mahncke - Alicia Ambos - Christopher Reynolds. New York: P.I.E.-Peter Lang, 2004, 381 p. ISBN 0820466271. info
  • Better governance for development in the Middle East and North Africa : enhancing inclusiveness and accountability. Washington: The World Bank, 2003, xxii, 281. ISBN 0821356356. info
  • The foreign policies of Middle East states. Edited by Anoushiravan Ehteshami - Raymond A. Hinnebusch. Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2002, viii, 381. ISBN 1588260208. info
  • Enhancing the European union as an international security actor :a strategy for action. Gütersloh: Bertelsmann foundation publishers, 2000, 80 s. ISBN 3-89204-508-9. info
  • DWYER, Kevin. Arab Voices : the human rights debate the Middle East. London: University of California Press, 1991, vii., 245. ISBN 0-520-07490-3. info
Teaching methods
Lectures involve class discussions and require active participation of students. Presentations serve to improve presentation skills of students as well as to improve the ability to work with data. Readings serve to broaden and deepen the spectrum of knowledge students acquire during lectures.
Assessment methods
The course terminates with an exam. Accomplishment of the course is based on evaluation in points (a final written exam and/or a paper). Student can obtain 110 points maximum within the course, composed from two parts - 100 points for a written exam and 10 points for a oral delivery of a paper. The paper is not obligatory, but it enables student to acquire  additional points to be used in case of a worse exam result. Topic of the papers is to be chosen by students themselves according to their interest within the broader topic of  relations between EC/EU and Arabic world. To pass the course successfully it is necessary to obtain at least 70 points.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2003, Autumn 2004, Autumn 2005, Autumn 2006, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2008, Autumn 2009, Autumn 2011.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2010, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2010/EVS115