EVS143 Political and Social Identity in the European Union

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2006
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 8 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Dr. John Wilton (lecturer), PhDr. Petr Suchý, Ph.D. (deputy)
Guaranteed by
PhDr. Petr Suchý, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Prerequisites (in Czech)
EVS104 European Integration || MVE102 European Integration
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 25 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/25, only registered: 0/25
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 17 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives (in Czech)
AIMS The Course will aim to examine the possible interaction between national, regional and a European Union identity at the economic, political and socio-cultural levels. The first part of the course will outline and examine various theories and concepts identified as useful in analysing any future construction of an economic, political and social European Union identity. In the second part of the course these will be assessed within the context of European Union core values (democracy, the rule of law, peace and security, economic stability and prosperity, respect for human rights) and the existing identity perspectives of EU citizens. OBJECTIVES Students will be introduced to a range of theories and concepts identified as useful in analysing any future construction of an economic, political and social European Union identity. In the second part of the course they will then be encouraged to employ these concepts in assessing the opportunities, processes and possibilities for such a construction of a citizenship EU identity.
Syllabus (in Czech)
  • 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 informs its interests and its actions - European Union integration and expansion: federalism, functionalism and neo-functionalism 3. Social Constructivism, Essentialism and an EU identity. - the theories of social constructivism and essentialism - 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 an EU identity. - The theories of New Institutionalism and Behaviouralism - 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 of, economic and social movements and practices (including cultural practices) in shaping an 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. A European Union for citizens to identify with: a) federalism and subsidiarity b) the European Unions international global image, globalisation and EU citizen identity - a European Union identity alongside a Europe of economic, political and socio-cultural regional identity? - Federalism, a Europe of the Regions, and a European Union identity - The impact of the international role of the EU and of globalisation on EU citizen identity 7. EU identity today - the perspective of EU citizens. - attitudes to a 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. A 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 a European Union constitution LITERATURE AND OTHER INFORMATION SOURCES PLEASE NOTE: Packs relating to particular lectures on the course have been placed in the ESF and FSS libraries. They will contain paper copies of any Overhead Transparences used in the lecture, as well as copies of relevant selected book chapters and/or articles relating to the lecture topic. Books 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. Van Ham, P. European integration and the post-modern condition, London, Routledge, 2001. 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. Journal Articles 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) Internet Sites http://www.cec.org.UK - for information - in English - on European Union institutions, policies and programmes, and a wide range of links to European Union related Websites, including EUROPA and European Union Documentation and Information Centres containing on-screen copies of the original Treaties - of Rome, Maastricht, Amsterdam, Single European Act, etc. - with comprehensive guides. http://www.cunliffe.demon.co.uk/Politics/eu.html - for on-screen copies of the Treaties - of Rome, Maastricht, Amsterdam, Single European Act, etc. - for details of the institutions and main legislative bodies of the European Union, current affairs, including monetary union, and details of Parliamentary groupings in the European Parliament. http://www.ecsa.org - The European Communities Studies Association is one of the largest and most active academic organisations for studying the EU and maintains an excellent website with links to a wide variety of other sites. http://www.ibeurope.com - InfoEurope is an EU funded site that provides up-to-date information on EU social policy and industrial relations plus some links to the sites of EU social policy interest groups. http://europa.eu.int - this is the central site for policy documentation, information on institutions, up-to-date developments, enlargement information, and links to other sites. It also contains the Eurobarometer surveys on public opinion in the old Member states, and in the new Member states. http://www.europarl.eu.int - for information on the European Parliament http://www.ex.ac.uk/~pcovery/lib/eurostudies.html - site of the European Union documentation centre at University of Exeter, United Kingdom - has extensive sources of information on the European Union, all in English, and links to Official Web servers of the European Union - it also has links to EUROTEXTS and the historical document/material archives centre at the University of Berkeley in the United States, which has copies of much of the earlier European Community documentation available. http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/GSSI/eu.html - this is an excellent site, entitled European Union Internet Resources, contains an impressive collection of links to EU servers in institutions, EU documents on the web and Servers of interest in or from EU countries. Maurits van der Veen, A. Determinants of European Identity, University of Pennsylvania, 19 March 2002, on line at http://www.isanet.org/noarchive/vanderveen.html Schwimmer, W. European Identity: is there more than one Europe, on line at http://www.coe.int/T/E/Com/Files/Themes/Identity/Col3_SG%20-%20RZ_One%20Europe.asp
Assessment methods (in Czech)
COURSE STRUCTURE It is intended that the course will be taught through a programme of 8 lectures and 4 seminars/workshops (1 seminar and 1 workshop for each group of students). All the lectures will be given at ESF jointly for ESF and FSS students. Students will be divided into two groups for each Faculty (ESF and FSS) for the workshop and seminar (four groups overall). Workshops and seminars for ESF students will be held at ESF. Those for FSS students will be held at FSS. Timetable Úterý(Tuesday). 18.4.06 (Room P6 at ESF) 16.20. Lecture 1 18.00 Lecture 2 Steda (Wednesday) 19.4.06 (Room P6 at ESF) 11.05 Lecture 3 12.40 Lecture 4 Steda (Wednesday) 19.4.06 (Room P4 at ESF) 16.20 Lecture 5 18.00 Lecture 6 tvrtek (Thursday) 20.4.06 (Room M117 at FSS) 14.00 Workshop (Group A - FSS students) tvrtek (Thursday) 20.4.06 (Room M117 at FSS) 16.00 Workshop (Group B - FSS students) Pondlí (Monday). 24.4.06 (Room P7 at ESF) 16.20 Workshop (Group A - ESF students) Pondlí (Monday). 24.4.06 (Room P7 at ESF) 18.00 Workshop (Group B - ESF students) Steda (Wednesday) 26.4.06 (Room P6 at ESF) 11.05 Lecture 7 12.40. Lecture 8 Steda (Wednesday) 26.4.06 (Room P4 at ESF) 16.20 Seminar (Group A - ESF students) Steda (Wednesday) 26.4.06 (Room P4 at ESF) 18.00 Seminar (Group B - ESF students) tvrtek (Thursday) 27.4.06 (Room M117 at FSS) 16.00. Seminar (Group A FSS students) tvrtek (Thursday) 27.4.06 (Room M117 at FSS) 18.00. Seminar (Group B FSS students) Úterý(Tuesday) 02.5.06 (Room 513 at ESF) 10.30. to 12.00.noon SUBMISSION OF ESSAY SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS Students from each Faculty (ESF and FSS) will be divided into two groups. Each group will have one workshop and one seminar. 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 should prepare individual or collective group presentations and papers on one of the following: 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 a European Union citizen identity. Do you agree? 3. Federalism, a Federal European Union, and a true Europe of the Regions offers the best structure to promote the development of a 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 a European Union citizen identity? ASSESSMENT Essay Students should write an essay of between 1500 (minimum) and 2000 (maximum) words (between 4 and 6 sides of A4 paper) in answer to ONE of the questions shown below. Essays should be properly and fully referenced, and include a full bibliography. They should be word-processed or typed. ESSAYS MUST BE HANDED IN TO JOHN WILTON ON ÚTERÝ (TUESDAY) 02.5.06 (Room 513 at ESF) BETWEEN 10.30. and 12.00.noon 1. A European Union citizen identity would eradicate or replace national and regional identity. Discuss, using theoretical and empirical examples to substantiate your argument in favour of, or against, this statement. 2. How can a European Union citizen identity be constructed? 3. Would economic, social or political measures and policies best assist the production of a European Union citizen identity?
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught only once.
The course is taught: in blocks.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Předmět si nezapisují studenti 1. ročníku.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2005, Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2020.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2006, recent)
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