Politics 370W Europe and the International System
Spring Semester 2013
Smullin Hall Room 216
MWF 11:30–12:30
Course Web Page: http://www.willamette.edu/~mmarks/poli-370.htm
Prof. Michael Marks
Office: Smullin 332
Office Tel. 503-370-6932
E-mail: mmarks@willamette.edu
Home Page: http://www.willamette.edu/~mmarks
Office Hours: MWF: 10:15–11:15, TuTh 8:30–9:40, and by
appointment.
Course Description
This course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to
engage in an in-depth study of politics and foreign policy in modern
Europe. Through in-class discussions, research, and writing students
will examine the changing political structures, contexts, and
relationships within, between, and among countries in post-Cold War
Europe. Special emphasis is placed on the evolving relationships among
European countries in a rapidly changing international environment. The
purpose of the course is to help students make sense out of the changes
sweeping Europe by understanding these changes in theoretical and
historical perspective. Through readings, in-class discussions, and
hands-on research students will explore the political, economic, and
security policies in European states as well as Europe’s
interactions with the rest of the world.
This class fulfils in part the writing-centered component of
Willamette’s undergraduate general education requirements. The
main writing project is an analytical essay that will be developed over
multiple drafts. Therefore, this course provides an excellent
opportunity for Politics and International Studies majors to prepare
for their senior theses in these majors.
Student Learning Outcomes
At the conclusion of this course students should be able to write an
analytical essay that evaluates competing perspectives on the nature of
European politics and policy using empirical evidence. In the essay
each student should effectively demonstrate the ability to:
1. Write well in terms of prose, grammar, and syntax.
2. Organize ideas in a logical progression of thoughts.
3. State a clear and cogent thesis.
4. Review and cite relevant scholarly literature.
5. Support the paper’s thesis with logical arguments
6. Present the paper’s thesis balanced with an assessment of
counter-arguments and/or competing explanations.
7. Include in the paper adequate and relevant evidence.
8. Adopt an appropriate tone of analysis (not partisanship).
Time Commitment for This Course
Willamette’s Credit Hour Policy holds that for every hour of
class time there is an expectation of 2–3 hours work outside of
class. Thus, for a class meeting three hours a week such as this one
you should anticipate spending 6–9 hours outside of class engaged
in course-related activities. For this course you should allocate your
time among the following three activities: Reading the assigned texts,
reading newspapers and/or online news resources on topics relevant to
the class, researching and writing the multiple drafts of the research
paper.
Course Organization
Classroom format will consist of a combination of instructor-led
lessons and student discussions. Class attendance is mandatory. Given
the collaborative nature of the research paper process, students are
expected to participate in offering guidance and feedback to their
peers. Peer editing is a requirement
of this writing-centered class. In addition, attendance at other
students’ oral presentations is mandatory. The instructor
thus reserve the right to raise final grades for superior classroom
participation, and lower final grades for unpreparedness,
disruptiveness, and deficient classroom attendance.
Electronic Devices in the Classroom
Laptop computers can assist in note taking and wireless Internet access
on campus can aid in organized classroom exercises. However, laptop
computers can also be a classroom distraction. Laptop computers are
permitted in class for note taking purposes. Additionally, there may be
occasions when the class as a whole may want to use the campus wireless
network to look things up online. However, please refrain from checking
e-mail, online chatting, websurfing, game playing, etc. during class.
If you are observed doing so during class time, you will asked to no
longer bring your laptop to class. Additionally, cell phones should be
turned off prior to class.
Accommodations
Students requiring accommodation should contact the Office of
Disability & Learning Services (Baxter Hall, Phone: 503-370-6471,
TTY: 503-375-5383) for consultation and to make the necessary
arrangements.
Written and Oral Assignments
The main written assignment for this course is an iterated analytical
essay utilizing course readings, additional theoretical literature as
necessary, and empirical evidence in the form of historical or current
events in the area of European integration, politics, and foreign
policy. Empirical evidence for the paper can be acquired simply by
reading daily news accounts of European integration, politics, and
policy. Additionally, students can find ample information about
European integration, politics, and policy through books and articles
readily available in the Hatfield Library and online as well as
newspaper and other news organization archives also readily available
via library and online resources.
The theme of the paper should elaborate on how best to understand the
nature of European integration. That is to say, the paper’s
thesis should finish the sentence: “European integration is best
understood…” There are an infinite number of ways of
answering this question which allows students to tailor their paper to
their interests regarding European politics and policy. For example,
one thesis might be “European integration is best understood
through the perspective of functionalist theories of regional
integration.” Another possible thesis might be “European
integration is best understood as a process that involves periods of
rapid change followed by periods of relative stasis.” Another
thesis might be “European integration is best understood as a
process led by those EU states with the most power.” Yet another
thesis might be “European integration is best understood in terms
of multiple levels of governance.” More information on how to
craft a thesis for the analytical paper can be found in a separate
hand-out provided by the instructor (also available online).
There is no required minimum or maximum length for each draft of the
paper. There is an old adage (variously attributed to Abraham Lincoln
or J. D. Salinger) that, in answer to the question “how long
should a man’s legs be?,” the answer is “long enough
to reach the ground.” In other words, your paper should be long
enough to accomplish its task (no longer, and no shorter). Having said
that, it is most likely that a good first draft will range between 2000
and 4000 words (7 to 13 pages), a good second draft probably will fall
into the 3000 to 5000 word range (10 to 17 pages), and a good final
draft most will most likely run between 4000 to 6000 words (13 to 20
pages), all give or take. Each draft of the paper should include a
title (on a title page), an abstract, and a bibliography.
Students will also be required to make an oral presentation of their
paper to the rest of the class.
Additional information about the paper and oral presentation will be
made available on the separate hand-out provided by the instructor.
Grading and Policy on Academic Honesty
Incompletes will only be given under exceptional circumstances such as
serious illness. You may appeal any of your grades during office hours
only after you have handed in
a typed, reasoned memorandum detailing the specific reasons why you think the
grade you received is not justified.
Late writing assignments will be assessed a one-third grade penalty per
day (e.g., a B+ paper handed in a day late receives a B). Early submissions of assignments are gladly
accepted.
The final grade will be determined as follows: First draft 25%; Second
draft 30%; Final draft 35%; Oral presentation 10%.
Everything you turn in must be your own written work. You may not copy,
borrow, or appropriate other authors’ work, unless you are doing
so in the form of a cited quotation. All references to other
authors’ work must be fully documented in the form of citations
and/or footnotes, and direct quotes must be indicated as such with
quotation marks. Suspected cases of plagiarism will be pursued
vigorously and appropriate penalties (including an “F” for
the course) will be applied.
Required Readings
Students should purchase the following books:
1. Brent F. NELSEN and Alexander STUBB (eds.), The European Union: Readings on the Theory
and Practice of European Integration (third edition). Boulder,
CO: Lynne Rienner, 2003.
2. Ben TONRA and Thomas CHRISTIANSEN (eds.), Rethinking European Union Foreign Policy.
Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2004.
The readings are noted below as “NELSEN & STUBB”
and “TONRA &
CHRISTIANSEN,” respectively.
Course Schedule and Weekly Reading
Assignments
January 14–18:
Introduction
No Readings
January 21–25: European Integration I
NELSEN & STUBB: Chapters 13–16
January 28–February 1: European Integration II
NELSEN & STUBB: Chapters 17–19
February 4–8: European Integration III
NELSEN & STUBB: Chapters 20–23
February 11–15: European Integration IV
NELSEN & STUBB: Chapters 24–27
February 18–22: Issues in European Integration I
Students should bring to class for each class session this week
at least one news article (from a newspaper, news magazine, or online
news source) about a recent or current issue regarding European
integration. The emphasis should be on the processes and policies of
European integration including the institutions of the European Union,
political participation and interest group representation in the EU,
the dynamics of EU decision- and policy-making, economic policy,
monetary policy, agricultural policy, social policy, regional policy,
other policy areas, etc. Note: There will be an opportunity to discuss
the foreign and security policy of the EU later in the semester.
Students should wait to bring in article on those topics until that
time.
FEBRUARY 25: FIRST DRAFT OF
PAPER DUE
February 25–March 1: Issues in European Integration II
See instructions from last week.
March 4–8: European Foreign Policy I
TONRA & CHRISTIANSEN: Chapters 1–3
March 11–15: European Foreign Policy II
TONRA & CHRISTIANSEN: Chapters 4–6
MONDAY, MARCH 18: PEER-EDITING
DRAFT OF PAPER DUE
March 18–22: European Foreign Policy III
TONRA & CHRISTIANSEN: Chapters 7–9
March 25–29: Spring Break
No classes.
MONDAY, APRIL 1: SECOND DRAFT
OF PAPER DUE
April 1–5: Issues in European Foreign Policy I
Students should bring to class for each class session this week
at least one news article (from a newspaper, news magazine, or online
news source) about a recent or current issue regarding European foreign
policy. The emphasis should be on European foreign and security policy,
not the processes of European integration which were covered earlier in
the semester.
April 8–12: Issues in European Foreign Policy II/Student Oral
Presentations
See instructions from last week.
April 15–19: Student Oral Presentations
No readings
April 22–26: Student Oral Presentations
No readings
April 29: Student Oral Presentations
No readings
MONDAY, APRIL 29: FINAL DRAFT
OF PAPER DUE (including abstract)