The European Union in International Relations

obligatory courses

Students should demonstrate basic knowledge of processes of European integration.

Classroom

The role and importance of the European Union in the modern world will be analyzed. The attributes of the EU will be presented and a description of its most important international activities will be made.

The subject of the seminar will be to present the issues related to the functioning of the European Union as a unique and specific participant in international relations. The complex and diverse international activities of the EU will be presented, as well as the main external and internal conditions determining this activity.

This will first include the presentation of the status and definition of the European Union, as well as an analysis of its potential in various areas. Then, it will examine the most important international roles it fulfills and selected major challenges facing the EU as a global actor. As a case study illustrating these issues, the functioning and effectiveness of the EU’s Eastern policy will be analyzed.

Within the specific thematic blocks, the following issues will be analyzed:

1. The EU as a participant in international relations:

- EU characteristics as a global actor,

- EU’s status and definition in international relations.

2. The EU's international potential:

- geographical, demographic and economic potential,

- social, scientific, technological and military potential.

3. The EU towards selected main external challenges:

- progressing and evolving globalization,

- change in the balance of power on a global scale,

- ecological crisis.

4. Main international roles as normative basis for the functioning of the EU:

- soft power concept,

- civilian power concept,

- normative power concept,

- the concepts of transformative power and market power.

5. Characteristics of the EU's external activity on the example of the EU's Eastern policy:

- definition, objectives and components of the EU’s eastern policy,

- Eastern Partnership,

- EU-Russian strategic partnership,

- an attempt to assess the EU’s Eastern policy.

The basic form of conducting classes will be synchronous - real-time videoconference with the use of Google Meet.

Student’s workload:

participation in classes – 30 h

preparation for presentation - 30 h

reading for classes - 30 h

total – 90 h

- A.Antczak, Role międzynarodowe Unii Europejskiej, Warszawa 2012,

- O. Barburska, Polityka wschodnia Unii Europejskiej jako część składowa polityki zagranicznej UE, Centrum Europejskie Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego/Oficyna Wydawnicza ASPRA-JR, Warszawa 2018,

- O. Barburska, D. Milczarek, Polityka wschodnia Unii Europejskiej: Porażka czy sukces?, Warszawa 2014

- J. McCormick, European Union Politics (3rd Edition), Red Globe Press 2020

- J. McCormick, Understanding the European Union. A Concise Introduction (7th Edition), Red Globe Press 2017

- Dyplomacja czy siła? UE w stosunkach międzynarodowych, red. S. Parzymies Warszawa 2009,

- European Union on the Global Scene: United or Irrelevan?, ed. B. Góralczyk, Warsaw 2015.

- D. Milczarek, Unia Europejska we współczesnym świecie, Warszawa 2005

- P. Olszewski, Unia Europejska w świecie. Od liberalizmu do realizmu, Warszawa 2018

- Unia Europejska jako aktor na scenie globalnej. Razem czy osobno?, Warszawa 2014. . B. red. B. Góralczyk

- D. Webber, European Disintegration? The Politics of Crisis in the European Union, Red Globe Press 2018

- J. Zajączkowski, Unia Europejska w stosunkach międzynarodowych. Wymiar polityczny, Warszawa 2006

- K. Zajączkowski, Międzynarodowy potencjał gospodarczy Unii Europejskiej w dobie wyzwań globalnych w: Unia Europejska jako aktor na scenie globalnej. Razem czy osobno?, red. B. Góralczyk, Warszawa 2014, s. 111- 156

- R. Zięba, Unia Europejska jako aktor stosunków międzynarodowych, Warszawa 2003

- selected articles from scientific periodicals, e.g. Rocznik Strategiczny (Scholar), Sprawy Międzynarodowe (wyd. PISM) and press, e.g. The Economist

- websites supplementing knowledge about current world events (e.g. euractiv, PISM, OSW, etc.) and literature selected by the student.

After completing the learning process the student should:

in the field of KNOWLEDGE:

• have knowledge of the characteristics of the European Union as a participant in international relations,

• have knowledge of the various attributes and potential of the EU,

• have knowledge of the methods and ways of the EU acting as a global actor.

in the field of SKILLS:

• be able to explain the specifics of the EU as a participant in international relations,

• be able to indicate which factors determine the effectiveness of EU international activity,

• was able to analyze and assess the role and importance of the EU in the world.

in the field of SOCIAL COMPETENCE:

• be independent in formulating their own opinions on the effectiveness of EU actions in the international arena,

• be critical of various EU media messages,

• remain open to continuous and independent search for knowledge and information about the ever-changing international reality.

Credit for a grade.

The final assessment of the student consists of the evaluation of the following forms of student activity during synchronous on-line classes:

- involvement in discussions during classes,

- preparation of a presentation of the selected issue,

- presentation of an article on the discussed issues.