London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

Modules

88
Politics and policies of the European Union

Prerequisite – 80 Introduction to politics

This subject examines the changes that have taken place in Europe during the post-war period and that have been transforming the traditional nation-state system and laying the foundations for the creation of the European Union.

This will include an analysis of the interplay between the economic and political forces that have led to the creation of the European institutions eg: The European Coal and Steel Community; European Common Market; European Community and, finally, the European Union.

The more ‘federal’ institutions: European Parliament, The Commission,European Court of Justice and the more ‘intergovernmental’ Council of Ministers, Presidency and European Council and COREPER (Committee of Permanent Representatives), will be examined to distinguish between the hybrid, dual nature of EU institutions. This analysis will be made in order to test the various theoretical approaches to European integration, such as neofunctionalist and convergence theories, in helping to explain the consequences of integration of the role of interest groups and political parties at the European level.

The syllabus includes an examination of the role of the EU in the world context and in relation to the other major economic and political systems.