Area Studies: The European Union

The European Union has been in crisis – well, recently – since 2008, according to history
books, since its birth. The nature of this current crisis is manyfold – we see problems in the
areas of finances/economy, immigration, decision-making, public trust, and also in member
states in terms of the nature and quality of democracy. One of the most visible signs of the
crisis is the ongoing process of a member state leaving the European Union – Brexit.
In this module we are going to explore and discuss these areas one by one, on the basis of the
most recent literature. We are also going to find out the potential ways out as well– although
the solutions are not easy to identify and even more difficult to implement.
This module is useful for everyone interested in politics, international relations or European
studies. However, it is also recommended for students who do not wish to specialize in these
disciplines – our discussions will help them to have a closer look on Europe’s problems, the
problems of all of us.