PSIR 514 | Course Introduction and Application Information - Political Science and International Relations (With Thesis)

Course Name

European Politics

Code	Semester	Theory (hour/week)	Application/Lab (hour/week)	Local Credits	ECTS
PSIR 514	Fall/Spring	3	0	3	7.5

Prerequisites	None
Course Language	English
Course Type	Elective
Course Level	Second Cycle
Mode of Delivery	face to face
Teaching Methods and Techniques of the Course	-
National Occupation Classification	-
Course Coordinator	-
Course Lecturer(s)	Öğr. Gör. Dr. Benal Nazlı ÜSTÜNES DEMİRHAN
Assistant(s)	Arş.Gör. İREM DUMLU TAYLAN

Course Objectives	The course aims to introduce students to theories of European Integration and comparative European politics, and to key debates about the legitimacy, performance and future of the EU
Learning Outcomes	The students who succeeded in this course; explain the milestones of the European integration process compare the explaining factors for the European integration process offered by different theoretical approaches illustrate how external and domestic factors inluence position and bargaining power of the involved stakeholdes discuss the strength and weakness of alternative theoretical explanations explain the functioning of the institutional architecture of the EU Interpret current European events in the light of different integration theories apply integration/governance theories in their research
Course Description	The aim of this seminar is to understand the milestones of the European integration process, the key features of the EU’s institutional architecture and the factors which have contributed to the establishment, shape and evolution of the political system and the policies of the EU. The course comprises the following aspects: (1) an overview of the history of the EU (basic treaties and treaty revisions), (2) an overview of the main institutions of the EU (Council of Ministers/European Council, European Commission, European Parliament), the interinstitutional power relations among them, and their role vis-à-vis the domestic level, (3) an overview of European integration theories and theories of policy making, (4) an application of these theories and concepts in a selection of policy areas in which the EU has been most involved in.
Related Sustainable Development Goals

Course Category	Core Courses
	Major Area Courses
	Supportive Courses	X
	Media and Management Skills Courses
	Transferable Skill Courses

Week	Subjects	Related Preparation
1	Introduction
2	History of the European Integration	Required readings: o Phinnemore, D. (2022). ‘The European Union: Establishment and Development’ in Cini and Borragan eds. European Union Politics. Oxford University Press. o Church, C. and Phinnemore, D. (2022). ‘Carrying the EU Forward: The Era of Lisbon’. in Cini and Borragan eds. European Union Politics. Oxford University Press. Suggested readings: o Bulmer et al. (2020). Politics in the European Union. Chapters 5-11, pp: 87-186
3	Theories of European Integration: Neofunctionalism, Liberal intergovernmentalism, post-functionalism and other theories -1	Required readings: o Bulmer et al. (2020). Politics in the European Union. Chapter 1 and Chapter 2, pp.1-45 o Schimmelfennig, F. (2018). ‘Liberal Intergovernmentalism and the Crises of the European Union’. Journal of Common Market Studies. 56/7: 1578–94. Suggested readings: o Börzel, T. A. and Risse, T. (2018). ‘From the Euro to the Schengen crises: European Integration Theories, Politicization, and Identity Politics’. Journal of European Public Policy. 25/1: 83–108. o Bickerton, C., Hodson, D. and Puetter, U. (2015). ‘The New Intertergovernmentalism: European Integration in the Post-Maastricht Era’. JCMS. 53/4: 703-722.
4	Theories of European Integration: Neofunctionalism, Liberal intergovernmentalism, post-functionalism and other theories – 2	Required readings: o Hooghe, L. and Marks, G. (2019). ‘Grand Theories of European Integration in the Twenty-First Century’. Journal of European Public Policy. 26: 1113-33. o Hodson, D. and Puetter, U. (2019). ‘The European Union in disequilibrium: New intergovernmentalism, postfunctionalism and integration theory in the postMaastricht period”. Journal of European Public Policy. https://doi.org/10.1080/13501763.2019.1569712 o Jones, E., Kelemen, R.D., and Meunier, S. (2016). ‘Failing Forward the Euro Crisis and the Incomplete Nature of European Integration’. Comparative Political Studies. 49/7. 1010-1034.
5	Institutions of the European Union - 1	Required readings: o Bulmer et al. (2020). Politics in the European Union. Chapter 12 and 13, pp. 203- 256. o Silander, D. (2024). “The European Commission on Sustainable Development. A New Normative Power in Its Making” Forum for Social Economics. 53/1: 76-88. o Williams, C. and Bevan, S. (2019). “The effect of public attitudes toward the European Union on European Commission policy activity” European Union Politics. 20/4: 608-628.
6	Institutions of the European Union - 2	Required readings: o Bulmer et al. (2020). Politics in the European Union. Chapter 14 and 15, pp. 257- 297. o Lewis J. (2005). ‘The Janus Face of Brussels: Socialization and Everyday Decision Making in the European Union’. International Organization. 59/4: 937- 971. o Wunsch, N. (2026). ‘The European Parliament and Dissensus over Liberal Democracy’. in R. Coman et al. (eds.) The Palgrave Handbook of Dissensus over Liberal Democracy in Europe. Palgrave Macmillan. Suggested Readings: o Costello, C. and Thomson, R. (2013). 'The distribution of power among EU institutions: who wins under codecision and why?' Journal of European Public Policy. 20/7: 1025 –1039.
7	Midterm	Required readings: o Bulmer et al. (2020). Politics in the European Union. Chapter 3, pp. 46-65. o Olsen, J. (2002). ‘The many faces of Europeanization’. JCMS. 40: 921-52. o Alpan, B. (2021). ‘Europeanization and EU–Turkey Relations: Three Domains, Four Periods’ in Reiners and Turhan (eds.) EU-Turkey Relations: Theories, Institutions and Policies. Palgrave. pp: 107-138. Suggested Readings: o Schimmelfennig, F. and Sedelmeier, U. (2020). ‘The Europeanization of Eastern Europe: The External Incentives Model Revisited’. Journal of European Public Policy. 27/6: 814–33.
8	Europeanization and Conditionality	Required readings: o Bulmer et al. (2020). Politics in the European Union. Chapter 3, pp. 46-65. o Schimmelfennig,F. and Sedelmeier, U. (2004). ‘Governance by Conditionality: EU Rule Transfer to the Candidate Countries of Central and Eastern Europe’. Journal of European Public Policy. 11/4. 661-679 o Zhelyazkova, A. Damjanovski, I. Nechev, Z. and Schimmelfennig, F. (2019). “European Union Conditionality in the Western Balkans: External Incentives and Europeanisation” in Jelena Džankić, Soeren Keil and Marko Kmezić (eds.) The Europeanisation of the Western Balkans A Failure of EU Conditionality? Palgrave Macmillan.Suggested readings: o Ertugal, E. (2021). ‘Hidden phases of de-Europeanization: insights from historical Institutionalism.’ Journal of European Integration. 43/7: 841-857.o Schimmelfennig, F. and Sedelmeier, U. (2020). ‘The Europeanization of Eastern Europe: The External Incentives Model Revisited’. Journal of European Public Policy. 27/6: 814–33. o McGregor, E. et al. (2025). ‘Conditionality, Compensation or Both? Comparative Experiences of Third-Country Cooperation on Migration with the EU’. Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies. 23/1. 47-61.
9	Normative Power Europe and its Critiques	Required readings: o Manners, I. (2002). ‘Normative Power Europe: A Contradiction in Terms’. JCMS. 40/2. 235-258. o Hyde-Price, A. (2006). ‘”Normative Power Europe”: A Realist Critique’. Journal of European Public Policy. 13/2. 217-234. o Diez, T. (2021). ‘The EU in a Changing World Order: In Defence of Normative Power 2.0’. Marmara Journal of European Studies. 29:1. 1-20. Suggested readings: o Damro, C. (2012). ‘Market Power Europe’. Journal of European Public Policy. 19/5: 682-699 o Von Lucke. F. (2025). ‘Towards Orchestrating Normative Power in Climate Crisis’. Cooperation and Conflict. 60/3. 479-503.
10	Enlargement and EU-Turkey Relations	Required readings: o Bulmer et al. (2020). Politics in the European Union. Chapter 26. pp: 495-514. o Keil, S. and Stahl, B. (2023) ‘EU enlargement in times of crisis: Strategic enlargement, the conditionality principle and the future of the “Ever-Closer Union”’ in Mechthild Roos and Daniel Schade eds. The EU under Strain? Current Crises Shaping European Union Politics. De Gruyter. o Alpan, B. (2021). ‘Europeanization and EU–Turkey Relations: Three Domains, Four Periods’ in Reiners and Turhan (eds.) EU-Turkey Relations: Theories, Institutions and Policies. Palgrave. pp: 107-138. o Müftüler-Baç. M. (2025) ‘A Fragile Relationship: Turkey and the EU Moving Beyond Membership with External Differentiated Integration’. West European Politics. 48/5. 1186-1215. Suggested readings: o Lippert, B. (2021). ‘Turkey as a Special and (Almost) Dead Case of EU Enlargement Policy’ in Reiners and Turhan (eds.) EU-Turkey Relations: Theories, Institutions and Policies. Palgrave. pp: 267-294. o Reiners, W. and Turhan, E. (2021). ‘Current Trends and Future Prospects for EU–Turkey Relations: Conditions for a Cooperative Relationship’ in Reiners and Turhan (eds.) EU-Turkey Relations: Theories, Institutions and Policies. Palgrave. pp: 397-432.
11	Crises and the future of the EU: Migration and Refugee Crisis	Required readings: o Geddes, A. (2022). ‘The migration and refugee crisis’ in Cini and Borragan eds. European Union Politics. Oxford University Press. 389-402. o Lavenex, S. (2018). ‘Failing Forward Towards Which Europe: Organized Hypocrisy in the Common European Asylum System’ JCMS. 56:5. o Murray, P. and Longo, M. (2018). ‘Europe’s wicked legitimacy crisis: the case of refugees’. Journal of European Integration. 40:4. Suggested readings: o Zaun, N. (2018) ‘States as Gatekeepers in EU Asylum Politics: Explaining the Non‐adoption of a quota system’ JCMS. 56:1.
12	Crises and the future of the EU: Populism and democratic backsliding	Required readings: o Fossum, J. E. (2023) ‘In What Sense Does Right Wing Populism Pose a Democratic Challenge for the European Union?’ Social and Legal Studies. 32:6 o Kelemen, R. D. (2025) ‘Will the EU Escape its Autocracy Trap?’ Journal of European Public Policy. 32:2. 341-364. o Blauberger, M. and Sedelmeier, U. (2024). ‘Sanctioning Democratic Backsliding in the European Union: Transnational Salience, Negative Intergovernmental Spillover, and Policy Change’. Journal of European Public Policy.32/2. 365-391. Suggested readings: o Lucarelli, S. (2018) ‘The EU and the crisis of liberal order: at home and abroad’ in Bengtsson R. and Sundstrom, S. (eds.) The EU and the Emerging Global Order. Lund University Press. 143-160 o Sedelmeier, U. (2024). ‘Is there an East–West divide on democracy in the European Union? Evidence from democratic backsliding and attitudes towards rule of law interventions’ Journal of European Public Policy. 31/3. o Meyerrose, A.M. (2024). ‘Building strong executives and weak institutions: How European integration contributes to democratic backsliding’. The Review of International Organizations. Vol. 19. 307-343.
13	Crises and the future of the EU: Security	Required readings: o Juncos, A. E. and Friis, A.M. (2022) ‘The European Union’s Foreign, Security, and Defence Policies’ in Cini and Borragan eds. European Union Politics. Oxford University Press. o Hoeffler, C., Hofmann S. C., and Mérand, F. (2024). ‘The Polycrisis and EU Security and Defence Competences’ Journal of European Public Policy. 31/10: 3224-3248. o Helwig, N. (2023) ‘EU Strategic Autonomy after the Russian Invasion of Ukraine: Europe s Capacity to Act in Times of War’. JCMS. 61: 57-67. Suggested readings: o Casier, T. (2023). ‘The EU and Russia: The War that Changed Everything’ JCMS, 61: Annual Review. 31-44
14	Paper presentations
15	Paper presentations
16	Review of the Semester

Course Notes/Textbooks

Main text book: • Bulmer, S., Parker, O., Bache, I., George, S. and Burns, C. 2020. Politics in the European Union. (5th ed.) Oxford University Press.

Suggested Readings/Materials

Cini, M. and Borragan, N.P. (eds.) 2022. European Union Politics. (7th ed.) Oxford University Press.

Hubert Zimmermann and Andreas Dür (eds.) 2021. Key Controversies in European Integration. (4th ed.) Bloomsbury Publishing

Olsen, J. and McCormick, J. (eds.) 2018. The European Union: Politics and Policies. (6th ed.) Routledge.

The main text book is available in the reserve section of the library. The remaining compulsory readings will be shared on Blackboard.

Semester Activities	Number	Weigthing
Participation	1	20
Laboratory / Application
Field Work
Quizzes / Studio Critiques
Portfolio
Homework / Assignments	1
Presentation / Jury	1	10
Project		40
Seminar / Workshop
Oral Exams
Midterm	1	30
Final Exam
Total

Weighting of Semester Activities on the Final Grade	4	100
Weighting of End-of-Semester Activities on the Final Grade
Total

Semester Activities	Number	Duration (Hours)	Workload
Theoretical Course Hours (Including exam week: 16 x total hours)	16	3	48
Laboratory / Application Hours	16		0
Study Hours Out of Class	13	7	91
Field Work			0
Quizzes / Studio Critiques			0
Portfolio			0
Homework / Assignments	1		0
Presentation / Jury	1	15	15
Project	1	40	40
Seminar / Workshop			0
Oral Exam			0
Midterms	1	31	31
Final Exam			0
		Total	225

#	Program Competencies/Outcomes	* Contribution Level
#	Program Competencies/Outcomes	1	2	3	4	5
1	To be able to improve theoretical and conceptual proficiencies on Political Science and International Relations and use them competently.	-	-	X	-	-
2	To be able to evaluate critically the relationships between various factors in the field of Political Science and International Relations such as structures, actors, institutions and culture.	-	-	-	X	-
3	To be able to determine and question the theoretical and empirical gaps in Political Science and International Relations literature.	-	-	X	-	-
4	To be able to identify the political and cultural conditions that generate discrimination mechanisms based on race, ethnicity, gender and religion at national and international levels.	-	-	-	-	-
5	To be able to gather and analyze data by using scientific research methods.	-	-	-	-	-
6	To be able to analyze and evaluate the historical continuity and changes observed in the relations between the actors and institutions of national and international politics.	-	-	X	-	-
7	To be able to present individual research and contemporary developments in Political Science and International Relations in written, oral, and visual forms.	-	-	-	-	-
8	To be able to take responsibility in generating solutions to the problems that arise in relation to the politics in daily life.	-	-	-	-	-
9	To be able to determine the institutional and political instruments for conflict resolution in domestic and international politics.	-	-	X	-	-
10	To be able to prepare a thesis/term project about Political Science and International Relations based on scientific criteria.	-	-	-	-	-
11	To be able to follow new research and developments in Political Science and International Relations and participate the debates in academic meetings through a foreign language.	X	-	-	-	-
12	To be able to have ethical, social and scientific values in the stages throughout the processes of gathering, interpreting, disseminating and implementing data relevant to Political Science and International Relations.	X	-	-	-	-

PSIR 514 | Course Introduction and Application Information

WEEKLY SUBJECTS AND RELATED PREPARATION STUDIES

EVALUATION SYSTEM

ECTS / WORKLOAD TABLE

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES AND PROGRAM QUALIFICATIONS RELATIONSHIP

IZMIR UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS GÜZELBAHÇE CAMPUS

GLOBAL CAREER

CONTRIBUTION TO SCIENCE

VALUING PEOPLE

BENEFIT TO SOCIETY