Teaching Plan Information

Presentation

The aim of this module is to analyse ideas, schools of thought and theories that explain the processes of economic and political integration among states in the contemporary world. The focus of study will be both the major theories (Intergovernmentalism, Neofunctionalism, or the Theory of Interdependence) and theories of an intermediate scope (Multilevel Governance, New Institutionalism, or Political Networks). 

The course will examine the ways in which these theories have been developed and applied for the study of various forms of global integration, as well as for the study of regional integration. 

The latter will include both comparative regionalism theories, and the theories developed specifically for the study of European integration as the case of the deepest form of regional integration in the world.

Associated skills

There are no specific skills required. Theories of Integration is a theoretical subject that introduces students to a wide range of theories. Together we will make the subject more dynamic and interesting. Students opinion will always be welcome! 

Learning outcomes

The students will:

• Be able to identify and understand the main theoretical approaches to international and regional integration

• Be familiar with the application of theories on different cases of integration

• Learn to critically evaluate research articles

Sustainable Development Goals

The given topics for the seminars debates and presentations are all based on the SDGs. 

Goal 4. Quality education: ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all #

Goal 16. Peace, justice, and strong institutions #

Goal 17. Partnerships for the goals #

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this course.

Contents

The course will provide the overview of the main theoretical approaches to the processes of international economic and political integration, exploring the political basis of the increasingly integrated world. It will first situate the theories of integration within the general international relations and international political economy approaches and will then proceed with the examination of individual theories. 

Each of the surveyed approaches will first be discussed and explained in general theoretical terms, and its understanding will subsequently be deepened by examining its application to the case of European integration as well as other regional and global instances of integration. The last part of the course will conclude with the examination of new tendencies in comparative approaches to regional integration, and with the exploration of the crises of integration and the emerging theories of disintegration.

Week 1: Introduction to theories of integration and information on seminars 

Week 2: Interdependence theory and classical IR approaches 

Week 3: Neofunctionalism

Week 4: Intergovernmentalism

Week 5: Supranational institutionalism

Week 6: International Political Economy and integration

Week 7: Constructivism and ideational approaches

Week 8: Multi-level Governance and Postfunctionalism

Week 9: Comparative regionalism

Week 10: Integration in crisis? Theories of disintegration

Teaching Methods

The course will be delivered with lectures taking place face-to-face at the university (the mode of course delivery might be subject to changes, depending on new developments and regulations regarding the Covid-19 pandemic). 

The course consists of theory classes and seminar classes. Each theory class will include a lecture and class discussions. Seminars will be based primarily on students’ presentations and debates. 

The students are expected to attend the classes, either in person or online. Students' participation in class will be graded and the participation grade will consider informed participation in class discussions, not just passive attendance, as well as participation in the resolution of exercises. The students will also be expected to prepare group presentations and debates on selected topics in the seminars. 

Evaluation

Participation in class discussions - 10%

The students are expected to read the required literature and actively participate in the class discussions during the lectures and seminars. Their active participation will form 10% of the grade.

Group debates - 15 %

A debate is a discussion or structured contest about an issue or a resolution. As part of the seminar requirements, students will participate in structured group debates. They will be assigned a position on a specific issue related to international integration and will have to prepare arguments supporting that position. During the first week, groups will be formed, and topics of debates distributed. Further information on debate requirements will also be provided in the first week of the course.

Group presentation - 15%

Presentations are based on applying theories studied in the class on a specific case of international integration. PowerPoints or other forms of visual aids are required for the group presentations. Topics of presentations, work groups, and further information on presentation requirements will be provided in the first week of the course.

Final exam - 60%

As the final exam, the students will have to submit an essay on an assigned topic. The essay will be based on applying assigned theories studied in the class on a specific case of international integration. Plagiarism will be strictly sanctioned and will result in the grade 0.

RECUPERATION

According to the UPF evaluation system, there is a possibility of recuperation for students that did not pass the course. Students that failed the course will have to meet two additional conditions in order to have the right to recuperation: 1) they should have done at least one seminar exercise, i.e., they should have participated either in group presentation or in group debate and 2) they should have submitted the essay at the first exam.

The recuperation will be allowed only for students whose final grade (i.e., the grade that

combines all individual items) is less than 5.0. The exact assignment / essay for recuperation will depend on the part that the student failed. The recuperation will be possible for seminar presentations and seminar debates, as well as for the final exam. The percentages of each grade item will remain the same. Participation in class discussions is the only item that cannot be subject to recuperation as it is strictly linked with students' participation in the class throughout the term.

Bibliography and information resources

Rosamond, B. (2000) Theories of European Integration. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan

Borzel, T. and Risse, T. (2016) The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Regionalism. Oxford: Oxford University Press

Keohane, R. O. and Nye, J: (1971) Power and Interdependence: World Politics in Transition. Boston, MA and Boulder, CO: Little, Brown and Westview

Moravscik, A. (1993) "Preferences and Power in the European Community: A Liberal Inter-Governmentalist Approach", Journal of Common Market Studies, 31(4): 473-524.

Pollack, M. (1996) ‘The New Institutionalism and EC Governance: The Promise and Limits of Institutional Analysis' Governance. 9(4): 429-458

Francesco Duina & Jason Buxbaum (2008) ‘Regional trade agreements and the pursuit of state interests: institutional perspectives from NAFTA and Mercosur’, Economy and Society, 37:2, 193-223

Gilpin, R. (2002) The Challenge of Global Capitalism: The World Economy in the 21^st century Princeton University Press

Ruggie, J. (1982). International Regimes, Transactions, and Change: Embedded Liberalism in the Postwar Economic Order. International Organization, 36(2), 379-415

Ikenberry, G. (2018) ‘The End of Liberal International Order?’ International Affairs, 94 (1): 7–23

Zielonka, J. (2012) ‘Disintegration Theory: International Implications of Europe’s Crisis’ Georgetown Journal of International Affairs 13 (1): 51-59

Teaching Plan Information

Presentation

The aim of this module is to analyse ideas, schools of thought and theories that explain the processes of economic and political integration among states in the contemporary world. The focus of study will be both the major theories (Intergovernmentalism, Neofunctionalism, or the Theory of Interdependence) and theories of an intermediate scope (Multilevel Governance, New Institutionalism, or Political Networks). 

The course will examine the ways in which these theories have been developed and applied for the study of various forms of global integration, as well as for the study of regional integration. 

The latter will include both comparative regionalism theories, and the theories developed specifically for the study of European integration as the case of the deepest form of regional integration in the world.

Associated skills

There are no specific skills required. Theories of Integration is a theoretical subject that introduces students to a wide range of theories. Together we will make the subject more dynamic and interesting. Students opinion will always be welcome! 

Learning outcomes

The students will:

• Be able to identify and understand the main theoretical approaches to international and regional integration

• Be familiar with the application of theories on different cases of integration

• Learn to critically evaluate research articles

Sustainable Development Goals

The given topics for the seminars debates and presentations are all based on the SDGs. 

Goal 4. Quality education: ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all #

Goal 16. Peace, justice, and strong institutions #

Goal 17. Partnerships for the goals #

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this course.

Contents

The course will provide the overview of the main theoretical approaches to the processes of international economic and political integration, exploring the political basis of the increasingly integrated world. It will first situate the theories of integration within the general international relations and international political economy approaches and will then proceed with the examination of individual theories. 

Each of the surveyed approaches will first be discussed and explained in general theoretical terms, and its understanding will subsequently be deepened by examining its application to the case of European integration as well as other regional and global instances of integration. The last part of the course will conclude with the examination of new tendencies in comparative approaches to regional integration, and with the exploration of the crises of integration and the emerging theories of disintegration.

Week 1: Introduction to theories of integration and information on seminars 

Week 2: Interdependence theory and classical IR approaches 

Week 3: Neofunctionalism

Week 4: Intergovernmentalism

Week 5: Supranational institutionalism

Week 6: International Political Economy and integration

Week 7: Constructivism and ideational approaches

Week 8: Multi-level Governance and Postfunctionalism

Week 9: Comparative regionalism

Week 10: Integration in crisis? Theories of disintegration

Teaching Methods

The course will be delivered with lectures taking place face-to-face at the university (the mode of course delivery might be subject to changes, depending on new developments and regulations regarding the Covid-19 pandemic). 

The course consists of theory classes and seminar classes. Each theory class will include a lecture and class discussions. Seminars will be based primarily on students’ presentations and debates. 

The students are expected to attend the classes, either in person or online. Students' participation in class will be graded and the participation grade will consider informed participation in class discussions, not just passive attendance, as well as participation in the resolution of exercises. The students will also be expected to prepare group presentations and debates on selected topics in the seminars. 

Evaluation

Participation in class discussions - 10%

The students are expected to read the required literature and actively participate in the class discussions during the lectures and seminars. Their active participation will form 10% of the grade.

Group debates - 15 %

A debate is a discussion or structured contest about an issue or a resolution. As part of the seminar requirements, students will participate in structured group debates. They will be assigned a position on a specific issue related to international integration and will have to prepare arguments supporting that position. During the first week, groups will be formed, and topics of debates distributed. Further information on debate requirements will also be provided in the first week of the course.

Group presentation - 15%

Presentations are based on applying theories studied in the class on a specific case of international integration. PowerPoints or other forms of visual aids are required for the group presentations. Topics of presentations, work groups, and further information on presentation requirements will be provided in the first week of the course.

Final exam - 60%

As the final exam, the students will have to submit an essay on an assigned topic. The essay will be based on applying assigned theories studied in the class on a specific case of international integration. Plagiarism will be strictly sanctioned and will result in the grade 0.

RECUPERATION

According to the UPF evaluation system, there is a possibility of recuperation for students that did not pass the course. Students that failed the course will have to meet two additional conditions in order to have the right to recuperation: 1) they should have done at least one seminar exercise, i.e., they should have participated either in group presentation or in group debate and 2) they should have submitted the essay at the first exam.

The recuperation will be allowed only for students whose final grade (i.e., the grade that

combines all individual items) is less than 5.0. The exact assignment / essay for recuperation will depend on the part that the student failed. The recuperation will be possible for seminar presentations and seminar debates, as well as for the final exam. The percentages of each grade item will remain the same. Participation in class discussions is the only item that cannot be subject to recuperation as it is strictly linked with students' participation in the class throughout the term.

Bibliography and information resources

Rosamond, B. (2000) Theories of European Integration. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan

Borzel, T. and Risse, T. (2016) The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Regionalism. Oxford: Oxford University Press

Keohane, R. O. and Nye, J: (1971) Power and Interdependence: World Politics in Transition. Boston, MA and Boulder, CO: Little, Brown and Westview

Moravscik, A. (1993) "Preferences and Power in the European Community: A Liberal Inter-Governmentalist Approach", Journal of Common Market Studies, 31(4): 473-524.

Pollack, M. (1996) ‘The New Institutionalism and EC Governance: The Promise and Limits of Institutional Analysis' Governance. 9(4): 429-458

Francesco Duina & Jason Buxbaum (2008) ‘Regional trade agreements and the pursuit of state interests: institutional perspectives from NAFTA and Mercosur’, Economy and Society, 37:2, 193-223

Gilpin, R. (2002) The Challenge of Global Capitalism: The World Economy in the 21^st century Princeton University Press

Ruggie, J. (1982). International Regimes, Transactions, and Change: Embedded Liberalism in the Postwar Economic Order. International Organization, 36(2), 379-415

Ikenberry, G. (2018) ‘The End of Liberal International Order?’ International Affairs, 94 (1): 7–23

Zielonka, J. (2012) ‘Disintegration Theory: International Implications of Europe’s Crisis’ Georgetown Journal of International Affairs 13 (1): 51-59