Class The European Union as International Actor

The curricular unit European Union as a Global Actor aims to provide students with a space for critical reflection on the challenges to governance and the international projection of the EU in a globalised and polarised world. The European Union is the most ambitious economic and political integration project underway in the world. Its position has gradually been asserting itself in the international context, raising the EU to the level of an effective actor in international relations. Taking an integrated approach to european studies and international relations, this course aims to present and analyse the pillars of the European Union's foreign policy, as well as its main vectors.

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I. The EU as a global actor 1.1. The EU's institutional framework in international politics – an introduction 1.2. The political and institutional configuration of European foreign policy 1.3. The external role of the EU – a genuine actor in the international system?   II. European Actorness – the debate 2.1. The perspective of european Studies and international relations – Theoretical perspectives 2.2. From institutional competences to institutional performance – from institutional design to institutional performance 2.3. Dimensions of EU soft power and global challenges   III. Operational dimensions 3.1. Monetary, financial and fiscal policies 3.2. Climate policy 3.3. Security and peace

In addition to the sessions dedicated to providing students with the key concepts and theoretical framework specific to this curricular unit European Union as Global Actor, this course adopts also a mixed pedagogical approach - TBL (team based learning) and PBL (project based learning). Through the formation of working groups, students are encouraged to develop group projects and/or activities, in which they are guided by the lecturer to (1) define objectives, strategies and deadlines, (2) practise negotiation, debate and reflect on the problems proposed, (3) critically evaluate and present the results clearly. With a focus on group presentations, critical discussion of texts and written work, students are placed at the centre of the learning process.

Bretherton, C., & Vogler, J. (2006). The European Union as a Global Actor, 2nd edition. London: Routledge. Bretherton, C., & Vogler, J. (2013). A global actor past its peak? International Relations, 27(3), 375–390. Engelbrekt, A. B.; Bremberg, N.; Michalski, A. & Oxelheim, L. (2020). The European Union in a Changing World Order. Palgrave Macmillan. Olsen, J. (2021). The European Union: politics and policies. Routledge. Westlake, M. (Ed.). (2021). The European Union’s New Foreign Policy. Palgrave Macmillan.