Corsi di Studio del Dipartimento di Culture, Politica e Società

In the general context of the degree program, this course aims to develop independent judgement on the process of European integration, the reasons for its launch and its complexity. It considers the contextualization in the wider international system, the coexistence of intergovernmental and supranational dynamics, the role of the main Member States and third countries, as well as the political and social forces and EU institutions, understanding interdependencies in a rapidly evolving world. The analysis of the process of European integration must be incorporated, historically, in a context of transformation of sovereignty, as well as of the economy and society, with the rise of new international, supranational and transnational actors. 

Starting from the idea of Europe itself, this course enables students to get to know and understand the historic processes that led to the first attempts to unify Europe; its founding theoretical principles, the various approaches and the fundamental lines in the process for European integration, the initiatives by governments, political and social forces, and the pro-European movements. The development of the EU institutional architecture will also be illustrated with references to the main policies. As well as a good grounding in the subject and with analytical skills, students will have to demonstrate an understanding of its fundamental trends and essential outlines.

The aim is to enable the student to reach a good knowledge of the subject, but also the development of soft skills, the ability to communicate synthetically, to present and support a topic, as well as interpret information on the basis of an autonomous judgement, adopting an interdisciplinary approach.

The student must have a good knowledge and comprehension of the subjects covered during the lessons and be able to correctly employ the acquired notions, comparing the various stages of the process of European integration and analysing the theoretical approaches, the development of the institutions and of common policies, the role of the various players (governments, parliaments, political and social forces, pro-European movements and individual personalities).

During the exam, the students will be required to demonstrate an adequate expressive capacity, argumentational skills and synthesis; have organised their preparation well, to manage the time available during the exam properly and also demonstrate independent judgment. The student will therefore have acquired the soft skills as mentioned in the section Learning objectives ( “Obiettivi formativi”).

Frontal lectures, with the use of slides that will be available at the end of each lesson and can be found on the website of the Department of Cultures, Politics and Society, clicking on the webpage, section teaching material ("Materiale didattico").

The attending students are encouraged to interact during the lessons, in terms of speeches, observations and points of interest for further consideration and exploration.

According to teaching needs, scheduled lessons with the participation of experts will take place, in order to study in depth specific topics.

The attendance, although not compulsory, is strongly recommended, because attending students have the opportunity to assimilate and to study the topics more deeply.

The final assessment will take place, during the oral exam, through an evaluation of the knowledge and comprehension acquired by the student with reference to the topics studied and the text books listed. The book list will account for a distinction between attending and non-attending students, in view of the latter's need to further their study of the texts in order to prepare fully for the exam.

Exams foresee a series of questions, some of a more general nature, aimed at assessing students' knowledge of the topics studied. Others, on the other hand, will be more specific in order to ascertain the extent to which students have developed and furthered their study of the subject.

During the oral exam, students will have to demonstrate, as well as knowledge of the subject and comprehension of the institutional issues and the political, economic and social aspects of the European integration process, critical thinking skills and the ability to organise and present their knowledge clearly, an ability to express themselves coherently and eloquently, offering clear and concise argumentations.

International and Erasmus students wishing to take the exam in English or French can do so (please contact me via e-mail before the exam).

On request (by the individual student), specific aspects of the European integration process will be explored further through optional participation in seminars and conferences identified by the professor.

Historic reconstruction of the process of European integration, divided into seven parts:

1 – Introduction: the idea of Europe in the modern and contemporary ages

2 – The period of the World Wars (1914-1945)

3 – The beginning of economic integration and the failure of the attempt to create military and political unity (1945-1954): bipolarity of powers and the Cold War; Treaty of Brussels, OEEC and Council of Europe; European Coal and Steel Community; European Common Defence and European Political Community projects; Western European Union 

4 – European economic integration, from the Messina Conference to the customs union (1955-1968); Treaties of Rome (EEC and Euratom); customs union and Common Agricultural Policy; De Gaulle and European integration

5 – The difficult beginning of the Economic and Monetary Union and the direct elections of the European Parliament (1969-1979)

6 – From the European Union Treaty of the European Parliament draft to the Single European Act and the Maastricht Treaty (1980-1992)

7 – From the European single currency to the Lisbon Treaty (1992-2009): Treaties of Amsterdam and Nice; European Convention; Constitutional Treaty; Lisbon Treaty 

1) The following book:

UMBERTO MORELLI, Storia dell'integrazione europea, Milano, Guerini e Associati, 2011.

2) One book chosen from the following list:

- MARIA GRAZIA MELCHIONNI, Europa unita sogno dei saggi, Venezia, Marsilio, 2001

- HEIKKI MIKKELI, Europa. Storia di un’idea e di un’identità, Bologna, il Mulino, 2002

- LUCIO LEVI, Il pensiero federalista, Bari, Laterza, 2002

- SILVIO FAGIOLO, L’idea dell’Europa nelle relazioni internazionali, Milano, FrancoAngeli, 2009

- ARIANE LANDUYT (ed.), Idee d'Europa e integrazione europea, Bologna, il Mulino, 2004, pages 1-118, 181-234, 343-393, 505-539

- PAOLO CARAFFINI, Un grand commis e la dimensione internazionale: Giuseppe Petrilli e il processo di integrazione europea (1950-1989), Milano, Guerini Scientifica, 2015

- GIULIANO GARAVINI, After Empires: European Integration, Decolonization, and the Challenge from the Global South 1957-1986, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2012 (originally published in Italian as: Dopo gli imperi. L’integrazione europea nello scontro Nord-Sud, Milano, Mondadori Education, 2009)

For non-attending students, additional reading will be required: not only the books at points 1 and 2 above, but also the following book (if not already chosen at point 2):

- SILVIO FAGIOLO, L’idea dell’Europa nelle relazioni internazionali, Milano, FrancoAngeli, 2009 (the student must study 15 essays of their own choice)

In alternative, another book not chosen at the point 2.

During the first lesson the professor will illustrate, entering into detail, the characteristics of the course, the subjects that will be dealt with, the textbooks that will be used and the organisational procedures that will be adopted.