EURA324-16S1 (C) Semester One 2016

Democratic and Economic Evolution of Europe

This occurrence is not offered in 2016

30 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 22 February 2016
End Date: Sunday, 26 June 2016
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Friday, 4 March 2016
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Friday, 20 May 2016

Description

This course is designed to provide sufficient knowledge and understanding of recent economic developments and democratisation processes in Europe as a whole and within the EU as an institution. It will examine the institutional and policy changes that have happened since the European "reunification" in 1989, but significant attention will be paid to the economic and political history of the continent also.

The following topics will be covered in this course:
1. Introduction
2. Post World War II reconstitution, political division and the establishment of different political and economic systems in Western and Eastern Europe
3. The beginnings of economic integration, the great boom and the creation of "welfare states" (1950-1973) in the West and forced industrialization and urbanization in the East
4. The search for economic stability since 1973 in the West; the failure and collapse of the communist political and economic 'project' in Central and Eastern Europe
5. The foundation of the European Union - the end of national economic policies?
6. The EU in the international environment - Democracy promotion and globalization
7. The EU's eastern enlargement and the success of post-communist political and economic transition
8. Limits and prospects for further EU enlargement

Learning Outcomes

  • This course will enable students to become familiar with the context, origins and major problems of economic development and the democratisation processes in Europe as a whole since 1945, and the institutional and economic policy changes that have happened in the EU, its member states and in the countries of former Eastern Europe since the end of the cold war. As such, the course will lay the foundation for further studies at EU honours level and offer a comprehensive if rather introductory overview of political and economic development-related issues and themes in the EU and Europe in general to those students who may not continue with European studies. In particular, through their work in this course, students are expected to be able to:
  • understand and define the nature and meaning of political and economic differences between Western and Eastern Europe during their cold war division,
  • understand, describe and critically analyse the basic economic and socio-political motives for the creation of the EU’s predecessor, the European Economic Community, and also for the EU’s recent eastern enlargement,
  • define the major socio-political and economic development problems which were faced by the EU and its member states on one side and by the candidates and potential candidates for EU membership from the region of ex-communist Eastern Europe on the other in the period after the end of the cold war,
  • develop an awareness of theoretical debates relating to the themes and topics examined,
  • design and carry out an original independent investigation of the current socio-political and economic development problems in one EU member or candidate state for EU membership,
  • critically analyse and present the results of their original investigation in writing and orally in student-led seminars.

Prerequisites

Any 15 points in EURA or EURO 200-level courses OR any 45 points with B average at 200-level in Arts, Commerce, Law OR any other 45 points with B average at 200-level with the approval of the Course Coordinator.

Restrictions

EURO224, EURO 324, EURA224, POLS224

Course Coordinator

Milenko Petrovic

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
One-hour in class test 15% Students are required to answer several short open ended questions and one essay style question.
Seminar assignment (2,000 Words) and presentation 25% Students are required to write the assignment (country case study) of 2,000 words and give a 15 minute in-class presentation. The grade for oral presentation will also include the student?s participation in class discussions in general.
Essay - 3,000 words 25% Students are required to write an essay on the chosen topic and submit it by the due date.
Final exam (3 hours) 35% Students are required to answer three essay style questions in three hours.

Textbooks / Resources

Required Texts

Lavigne, Marie; The economics of transition : from socialist economy to market economy ; 2nd ed; Macmillan Press, 1999.

Schulze, Max-Stephan; Western Europe : economic and social change since 1945 ; Addison Wesley Longman, 1998 (chapters 1-9).

Additional and optional readings are listed in the Course Outline (available for enrolled students on LEARN).

Course links

Library portal
LEARN The full Course Outline is available on LEARN (only for students enrolled in this course).

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,435.00

International fee $5,825.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Language, Social and Political Sciences .

All EURA324 Occurrences

  • EURA324-16S1 (C) Semester One 2016 - Not Offered