The European Union is the biggest donor of development assistance, the first trading partner and the first foreign investor for almost all of its neighboring countries. While most regional powers (e.g. US, China) are likely to develop special relations with geographically close countries, the EU’s policies toward neighboring countries have been perceived as different for their attempts to apply non-standard formulas to inter-state relations and (for better or for worse) seeking to chart new roads in global politics. Some analysts therefore deem the European Union’s neighborhood policies to be ‘laboratories’ for innovative international relations.

This course is designed for students interested in EU foreign and security policy towards Western and Eastern European neighbors as well as North Africa and Middle East. We will explore EU
policies, politics and instruments towards these set of countries through the prism of EEA/EFTA, ‘Brexited’ UK and the European Neighborhood Policy. The objective of the course is to provide
background knowledge, as well as tools for practical analysis, of the main political, economic, legal and institutional objectives and practices of the EU foreign and security policy toward non-EU
candidate neighboring countries. The course will also provide ample opportunity for students to engage with the specific domestic and international problems of countries (or statelets) such as Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Morocco, Norway, Palestinian Authority, Switzerland, Syria, Tunisia, United
Kingdom and Ukraine.

Evaluación

The final grade is the sum of the following criteria:

• Policy brief 50%
• Final Essay 50%

The policy brief consists of an 800-1000 words essay on the EU’s relations with one country/statelet in the Western or Eastern Europe neighbourhood. The teacher will provide specific instructions for the brief in the early stages of the course.

Final Essay consists of an 800-1000 words essay on the EU’s relations with one southern Mediterranean neighbouring. The teacher will provide specific instructions for the essay towards
the end of the course.

The classes are based on active learning philosophy (student-centered learning), whereby students assume responsibility for a predominant part of their individual learning experience both
inside and outside the classroom. It should thus be noted that the course objectives can only be achieved if students come prepared to each session in terms of readings and/or assignments, as well as engage actively in each session.

Competencias, resultados de aprendizaje y actividades formativas (PDF)