EUM4130 - Comparative Regionalism

Leader: Pascaline Winand

Offered

Caulfield Second semester 2008 (On-campus block of classes)

Synopsis

This unit will explore regional economic, political and security cooperation and integration in Europe, Asia, the Americas and Africa, with a special focus on Asia (ASEAN, ARF, SAARC) and Europe (European Union, Council of Europe, EFTA, OSCE). It will also investigate inter-regional arrangements such as ASEM and APEC. Regional processes will be analysed comparatively, using an interdisciplinary, historically grounded perspective. Students will be exposed to the major theories of regionalism. They will study the significance of the European Union as a model of regional integration and its relations with other regional arrangements both in Europe and in the world, including with Australasia.

Objectives

Students who successfully complete this unit will be expected to demonstrate:

1. a developed understanding of the major political, legal and economic theories of regional integration and regionalism and their relevance to different regional arrangements in the world;
2. an informed appreciation of the similarities and differences among regional arrangements in legal, political and economic terms;
3. an understanding of their impact upon various levels of governance (local, national, regional, global);
4. an appreciation of the evolution of regional arrangements in different parts of the world, including in Europe, Asia, the Americas and Africa since 1945, with an emphasis on the post-Cold War period;
5. an understanding of the significance of the European Union as a model of regional integration and its relations with other regional arrangements in Europe and in the world, including the Council of Europe, EFTA (European Free Trade Association), NATO, the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe), ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) and the ARF (ASEAN Regional Forum), SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation), the ACP Group (African, Caribbean and Pacific Group), SADC (Southern African Development Community), AU (African Union), ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), the Gulf Cooperation Council, Mercosur (Southern Common Market) and the Andean Community;
6. an understanding of the roles of the US, the EU and other regions or countries (particularly in Asia and in Australasia) in promoting interregional arrangements such as ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) and APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation);
7. an understanding of the significance of regional cooperation and integration for Australia and its relations with particular regions;
8. a capacity to identify the factors assisting and impeding regional cooperation or integration;
9. strong skills in the critical reading of a variety of texts and the academic scholarship based upon those texts;
10. strong skills in critical oral and written assessment of the academic scholarship, including methods, assumptions and uses of evidence, and in organising and defending a verbal and written argument bases upon these assessments;
11. a capacity to devise, plan and successfully complete a research essay;
12. a capacity to reflect upon and make critical use of a range of resources including, where relevant, on-line materials.

Assessment

A critical review of articles and books relevant to a seminar theme, given first as a seminar presentation: 20%; The seminar presentation will then be revised into a written research paper in light of seminar group comments and an assessment by the coordinator (2500 words): 40%; A reflective response to a set question, in a take-home examination (2000 words, 40%) - 2000 words 40%

Contact hours

26 hours per semester offered in block mode

Prohibitions

EUM5130