The New Political Economy of Europe
The eurozone crisis, the migration crisis, and Brexit have called into question the politics of European integration. It has exposed the fragiltiy of joining diverse political economies into the EU, whilst exacerbating the conflict between democratic states and global financial markets. The purpose of this course is to analyse the political and policy consequences of European integration, paying particular attention to countries in the single currency.
Capitalism and Democracy
Why are some countries rich, and some countries poor? Why are some countries more unequal than others? What explains the rise of Trump, the populist far-right, and the Brexit vote? What are the political consequences of the euronzone crisis? To what extent is socio-economic inequality shaping electoral politics today? This module introduces students to the politics of socio-economic inequality in advanced capitalist societies.
Comparative European Politics
The aim of this module is to provide an advanced understanding of major theoretical, empirical and substantive issues in the politics of Europe, both at domestic and EU-levels. After examining the methodology of comparison, the module's primary focus is on the political systems of Europe and the European Union in a comparative context, through the prisms of executive-legislative relations, political parties, elections, and patterns of political representation.
EU Politics and Policy
In a referendum held on the 23rd June 2016, the United Kingdom became the first country in history to announce an intention to withdraw from the European Union. As an international organisation that has been developing for over fifty years, this new political landscape means that detailed knowledge of how the EU works, it's powers, it's successes and it's failings, is more important than ever.
The GeoPolitics of Brexit
The goal of this module is critically to assess the geopolitical implications of the decison of the UK to negotiate its withdrawal from the European Union. These implications include, but are not limited to, the impact on intra-island relations across the UK/RoI border (including its effects on the peace process), relations between the Republic of Ireland and the UK (long conditioned on a shared EU membership), the effect of 'Brexit' on the constitutional architecture and domestic politics of the United Kingdom, and the associated geopolitical implications for the European Union as a whole and Irish membership thereof. The module will apply an interdisciplinary approach to its analysis, encompassing historical context, politics, international relations, law, political theory and international political economy will profit from a number of guest lectures, curated by the UCD SPIRe module co-directors.
Trump, Brexit, and Global Politics
The goal of this module is to understand and/or explain the major political shifts that have taken place in both the US and UK and their wider implications (if any) for global politics. The module will interrogate arguments surrounding the success of both Donald J Trump and the Brexit campaign which revolve around class and opportunity, economic inequality, race and migration, identity politics, an urban-rural divide, anti-cosmopolitanism, populism and anti-establishment politics. Through a Problem Based Learning and small group work the module will assess if this is part of a wider challenge to the broad liberal democratic 'order’ and globalisation, or are perhaps unique to the Anglo-Saxon world. The module will then go on to assess the implications of these two particular phenomena for global politics.
The EU in the World
The purpose of this module is to acquaint students with the scope and scale of the European Union's international engagement. If offers a survey of the EU's capacity as an international actor across several thematic spheres: economic, political and security as well as with key global regions/actors. It identifies the basis for the EU's engagement as a global actor and interrogates its effectiveness and coherence as well its underlying legitimacy. It will critically review the multilateral institutional frameworks within which it operates and the relationship between the Union and its member states in the field of foreign, security and defence policy.
Law and Governance of the EU
This module asks the question: what is the role of law in the governance of the EU? This involves identifying and analysing the nature of the rule of law, the constitutionalisation of the EU and the nature of governance in general and in the EU in particular. Having briefly reviewed EU legal structures, the module turns to specific examples of governance structures in the EU especially networks and soft law noting their relationship with hard law and the extent to which they challenge or meet rule of law requirements such as accountability. In the process the interplay of law and governance in particular sectors such as fiscal governance, competition and the internal market are analysed.
