The European Union stands as a unique actor in global politics, navigating the complex terrain between multilateralism, regional cooperation, and strategic influence
on the world stage. This course offers an in-depth exploration of the EU’s multifaceted role as a
global player, focusing on its political, economic, and normative dimensions within international
relations. It also opens avenues for examining broader questions of policy diffusion between
international institutions and the comparative analysis of international governance structures.
We will critically examine the EU’s external relations and discuss the origins of the EU as
a global actor. We will then investigate the various tools and mechanisms it employs, ranging
from trade agreements and foreign aid programs to its evolving security policy and diplomatic
initiatives. The course will also explore the EU’s complex institutional framework, its decision
making processes, and the practical challenges it faces in acting collectively and coherently in
an increasingly fragmented world.
Together we will assess the role of the EU in shaping key global issues such as global
governance, climate change, conflict resolution, development policy, and international trade. We
will explore the EU’s involvement in global institutions and the significance of its entrenchment in
these frameworks, asking critical questions about the EU’s capacity to navigate the challenges
of contemporary multilateralism and its position within an evolving international order. We
will investigate how different IGOs approach similar global challenges, and whether the EU’s
mechanisms for policy coordination and integration offer distinctive insights.
The course will be informed by a combination of theoretical frameworks, case studies, and
empirical analyses. Students will engage with the EU’s strategic interests, its geopolitical ambi
tions, and its evolving role in shaping and taking from global governance structures. By the end
of the course, students will have gained a comprehensive understanding of the EU as a global
actor and the critical challenges and opportunities it faces in the global arena.
Through this course, students will gain the skills to critically engage with current debates
on global governance structures and utilise analytical tools to assess the EU’s actorness and its
impact on various external policies.
- Kursleiter*in: Francesca Minetto