ASTK12597U Seminar: The European Union as a Global Actor

How can we best understand the European Union as a global actor? The most popular approaches to this question seek to answer it in a number of ways – by comparing it with other actors such as states, regional organisations or international organisations – or by declaring it unique and beyond comparison. The course sets out to examine the EU in global politics by rethinking the nature of power and actorness in a globalising, multilateralising and multipolarising era. This examination involves, first, understanding conceptual, theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of the EU as a global actor. Second, the EU’s use different forms of power, in particular physical, material and normative power, will be studied through a series of nine case studies. Finally, the course will examine whether it is possible to characterise the EU as a particular type of international actor through the comparative assessment of the case studies. This will allow students to answer the question of whether the EU is more less prone to use of normative power in global politics than other international actors?

Preliminary plan:

Introduction: the European Union as a Global Actor

1. Understanding the European Union as a Global Actor
2. Theorising the European Union as a Global Actor
3. History of the European Union as a Global Actor
4. European Union External Actions

Global Actions

5. Sustainable Peace
6. Freedom
7. Democracy
8. Human Rights
9. Rule of Law
10. Equality
11. Social Solidarity
12. Sustainable Development
13. Good Governance

Conclusion

14. Judging the European Union as a Global Actor

The seminar consists of fourteen 2-hour sessions placing a heavy emphasis on active learning through case study work. The seminar begins by introducing the differing understandings of EU actorness and power in global politics. The seminar will secondly examine a series of nine case studies with the normative power analytical framework by contrasting the use of physical, material and normative power. The nine case studies cover the principles of sustainable peace, freedom, democracy, human rights, rule of law, equality, social solidarity, sustainable development, and good governance.

Questions raised in the course include asking what are the principles the EU promotes in global politics? What are the External Actions the EU takes to promote these principles? What has been the impact of the EU as a global actor? How can we best theorise the EU’s external actions? How can we best characterise the EU as a global actor?

The course differs from the course "Europæske Udenrigspolitiske Samarbejde og EU som International Aktør” [European Foreign Policy Cooperation and the EU as an International Actor] (with Henrik Larsen) in that this seminar goes beyond foreign policy analysis to understand the external policies of the EU. More specifically, it provides students with the opportunity to work at the forefront of international research on the EU by using case-study work integrating research with learning. This seminar uses an active learning pedagogy in that students play an active part in the seminar and are assessed accordingly. If you follow both courses, please inform Prof. Manners in advance so he can ensure there is no duplication in your activities.
 

The course will strengthen the ability to analyse and evaluate the EU external actions in general, and more specifically the EU in global governance. By using analytical tools from political science, the course is relevant for employment in public policy and administration, international organisations, the EU, NGOs and journalism.