POLb1010 European Union and International Organisations

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. Marek Rybář, M.A., Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Michal Tóth, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Marek Rybář, M.A., Ph.D.
Department of Political Science – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Mgr. Lucie Pospíšilová
Supplier department: Division of Politology – Department of Political Science – Faculty of Social Studies
Prerequisites (in Czech)
! POL359 Contemporary European Union && !NOW( POL359 Contemporary European Union ) && !OBOR(EVS) && !OBOR(EVS1) && !OBOR(EVSC) && (! EVS162 Current European Union )
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course introduces students to the basics of European integration. Graduates of the course will be able to describe the development and milestones of the European integration process and the logic of its functioning, including its institutional structure. They will also understand the key challenges to the functioning of the contemporary European Union. Students will also learn basic information about the origins, structure and functioning of key international institutions. They will also be able to critically evaluate the relevance and role of international institutions in today's globalised modern world.
Learning outcomes
Student will be able to:
- describe and explain key events of European integration;
- explain the institutional structure of the European Union;
- describe the most important EU policies;
- debate on challenges the EU currently faces;
- describe the structure and basic objectives of key international organisations
Syllabus
  • The EU as a political system
  • Executive policy: the European Commission and the Member States
  • Legislative policy: Council and European Parliament
  • Judicial power in the EU
  • Parties and elections in the EU
  • United Nations I: Origin, structure and main organs
  • United Nations II: Towards peace, human rights and sustainability
  • NATO: From origins to the present - structure, mission and challenges
  • Pillars of the Global Economic System: International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and World Trade Organization (WTO)
  • Cooperation and security in Europe: Council of Europe, OSCE and Europol
Literature
    required literature
  • Weiss, T. G., & Wilkinson, R. (Eds.). (2023). International organization and global governance (Third edition). Routledge. (str. 632-672: kap. 44. Global financial Governance, kap. 45. Global trade governance a kap. 46. Global development governance)
  • Weiss, T. G., & Daws, S. (Eds.). (2018). The Oxford handbook on the United Nations (Second edition). Oxford University Press - kap. Peace Operations (28 str.)
  • Frieden, Jeffry – Walter, Stefanie. 2017. Understanding the Political Economy of the Eurozone Crisis. Reviews in Advance (http://scholar.harvard.edu/files/jfrieden/files/friedenwalter2017.pdf).
  • Lindley-French, J. (2023). The North Atlantic Treaty Organization: The enduring alliance (3rd Edition). Routledge. (str. 98-119).
  • Mingst, K. A., Karns, M. P., & Lyon, A. J. (2017). The United Nations in the 21st century (Fifth edition). Westview Press. (str. 235-285)
  • HIX, Simon and Bjørn Kåre HØYLAND. The political system of the European union. Fourth edition. London: Bloomsbury academic, 2022, xiii, 434. ISBN 9781350325470. info
    recommended literature
  • Richard Corbett. 2014. European Elections are Second-Order Elections: Is received wisdom changing? Journal of Common Market Studies, 52, 6, s. 1194-1198.
  • Olsen, Jonathan – McCormick, John. 2019. European Union Politics and Policies. 6th Edition. T&F INDIA, s. 257-265.
  • Cini, Michelle; Borragán, Nieves Pérez-Solórzano (2019). European Union Politics. 6th Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press,
  • SZAPIRO, Manuel. The European Commission : a practical guide. Edited by Michael Keading. London: John Harper Publishing, 2013, xviii, 378. ISBN 9780957150133. info
Teaching methods
lectures
Assessment methods
seminar paper and final test
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Nezapisují si studenti kombinace oborů PL-EVS.
Teacher's information
Detailed information including literature for each lesson is given in the syllabus embedded in the course materials in the IS.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2025/POLb1010