Seminar Theories of European integration

Since the early years of European integration when the six founding members created the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), and in fact even before that, scholars have sought to explain and predict the processes of regional integration. Theories are essential in this respect because they shape our view of the empirical evidence at hand, they provide basic assumptions about social structures or processes and, ultimately, the emergence of theories is sometimes the result of real-world developments. This is particularly true with regard to European integration, in which theoretical advancement cannot be separated from the actual integration process. The main objective of the course is to familiarize students with the history of ideas about regional integration and the theoretical developments along the actual process of European integration. The course deals with theories aiming to explain the integration process (e.g. neo-functionalism and liberal intergovernmentalism) as well as theoretical approaches aiming to better understand the EU system of governance (e.g. policy networks or institutionalism). In addition, sociological, discursive and Marxist perspectives, as important theoretical contributions, will be considered as well. At the end of the course, students not only know about the most important theoretical developments, the course also invites students to reflect on the role of theory in the social sciences. The literature will be exclusively in English and the mandatory literature includes the following books: Rosamond, Ben. Theories of European integration, 2000. Wiener, Antje and Thomas Diez (eds). European integration theory, 2009. Saurugger, Sabine. Theoretical approaches to European integration, 2014. Classic articles by important scholars of European integration will be part of the additional mandatory/optional literature. A detailed syllabus listing class sessions and the respective literature will be provided in due time. Sozialwissenschaften Students are expected to read the mandatory literature and to fully participate in class, i.e. in the course of discussions, assignments and individual or group presentations. In addition, students will have to write an academic essay. Universität Duisburg-Essen WiSe 2015/16 Powi B.A., Politikwissenschaft (Bachelor of Arts) Mag.phil. Klika Christoph Mag.phil