EUR3620 - Policy-Makers, Intellectuals and the Idea of Europe

Leader: Dr Natalie Doyle

Offered

Clayton First semester 2008 (Day)

Synopsis

This unit investigates the views of policy-makers and intellectuals on Europe, European unity, and the relationship of Europe to the rest of the world in the 20th and 21st Century. Topics include the nature of Europe's cultural cohesion, the relationship between liberal-democratic Western Europe and the parts of Europe recently ruled by communist regimes, intellectuals' response to aspects of Europe's historical heritage, and the attitudes of European and non-European policy-makers towards European unity. Readings will include texts and documents on Europe by Derrida, Habermas, Havel, Kundera, Said, Tourraine, Monnet, Spinelli, De Gaulle, and other intellectuals and policy-makers.

Objectives

On completion of this subject students should:

1. Have a familiarity with, and an understanding of, the positions of contemporary intellectuals with respect to the ideas of Europe and European unity.

2. Have a knowledge of the history of the idea of, and political moves toward, European unity, especially after 1945.

3. Be familiar with the relevant debates and able to discuss contributions to them, whether scholarly, journalistic or essayistic.

4. Be able to demonstrate competence in the following skills:
   1. obtaining access to source materials and secondary writings through the library and other resources;
   2. writing (including planning, arguing on the basis of evidence, and documenting);
   3. analysis and interpretation of texts, including the application of appropriate terms and concepts for the discussion of content and form;
   4. oral presentation of information and argument based on guided and independent reading;
   5. discussion of texts and oral presentations;
   6. assimilation of information and opinion from various sources for purposes of forming independent judgments;
   7. team work.

5. Be familiar with different theoretical perspectives on the ideas and processes treated in the subject.

Assessment

Short essay (2000 words): 35%; Long essay (4500 words): 50%; Class project (equivalent to 2000 words): 15%.
Fourth-year students will be expected to demonstrate more developed research, analytical and critical skills than their third-year counterparts.
Students completing the unit at 5th year level will be required to engage with civilizational theoretical approaches to the topic.

Contact hours

One 1-hour lecture and two 1-hour seminars per week

Prerequisites

A second-year unit in European studies or approval by the Monash European and EU Centre

Prohibitions

EUR4620