Level of studies: One seminar at Postgraduate level, and one seminar at PhD level
Type of course: Elective, for all students of the Department of Political Science and International Relations and the Department of Social and Educational Policy
Place in project: Taught on the 2nd (month 7), 4th (month 19) & 6th semesters (month 31)
ECTS: None. It consists of two 3 hours-long lectures/seminars
Teaching methods: Lectures & Interactive teaching with student engagement
Prerequisite: None, Language of instruction: English
Description & Learning Objectives: The EU is a complex multi-layered polity in making that embeds and concerts intergovernmental and supranational agencies and processes into a unified institutional architecture of decision-making and decision-taking. From this angle, an inquiry in and about the EU is bound to address phenomena that are by definition multi-factored; the causes and outcomes of which both originate and result in multi-faceted patterns of action and relationships. In effect, the EU institutional shape and public policy space defies monothematic and monocausal approaches and perspectives. The EU studies is therefore a field of study that cuts across several disciplines and sub-fields.
The first research seminar entitled “Research Methods in EU Studies for postgraduate students” is designed to get postgraduate students acquainted with scientific tools for conducting qualitative research in EU affairs and issues. Students will become familiar with how concepts, theories, desk research, document analysis and expert interviews are used to both examine the diverse ways the EU works and address the basics and particularities of the European integration.
The main learning objective of the second seminar, “Research Methods in EU Studies for PhD students” is to discuss how the logics and structures of research process in social sciences might be used to go about inquiry in the dynamics of EU integration through different lenses and perspectives.
* Detailed lists of suggested readings for the seminar are in the seminar’s handbook.
