Domestic and Foreign Politics in Europe
Curriculum
All courses are 4 quarter units each.
Required Courses:
Political Science 127A: Europe in World Politics (O'Neill)
Political Science 153A: Democracy in the United Kingdom, France and the Low Countries
(Lofchie)
Optional Course
Political Science 199: Directed Research
You may earn independent study units by writing an academically rigorous paper about 3500 words in length. You should use the word count capability of your word processor to assure that you have met the length requirement. It is the number of words, not pages that counts. Your instructor will be available to discuss topics during the trip. Obtain your instructor's approval on the subject and format. The paper is due by September 15. Please note that these dates apply even if you plan to travel after the program ends. There is an additional fee for this independent study course.
Grades
The grade for both courses is based mainly upon an examination to be administered
at the end of the stay in Paris and covering all four weeks of your studies.
The format of the examination will be announced by your instructor and varies
among instructors. Depending on the instructor, there may be some options to the final examination as a means of evaluation.
Schedule
London: June 16 – June 23
Brussels: June 23 – June 27
Amsterdam: June 27 - July 2
Paris: July 2- July 14
Breakfast:
7:00am - 9:00 am
Lectures:
9:00am -11:45am, five days a week
Classes usually do not meet on Saturdays or Sundays.
Textbooks and Course Materials
The more you know before you go, the more you will learn during the program. If at all possible, before leaving find a copy of Joseph Colomer, ed., Political Institutions in Europe, and read the chapters on Britain, France, the Low Countries, and the European Union. The chapters on Britain and France in Jeffrey Kopstein and Mark Lichbach, eds., Comparative Politics, offer excellent background for the course, but like most textbooks on comparative government, this one lacks coverage of Dutch politics. Since the Netherlands is the world's most developed democratic state, understanding Dutch politics clarifies many mysteries about democracy. If you prepare by reading a book that does not cover the Dutch case, you will benefit from also reading Rudy Andeweg and Galen A. Irwin, Governance and Politics of the Netherlands: Second Edition. A useful survey of European affairs is Postwar: A History of Europe since 1945 by Tony Judt. Don't spend time taking detailed notes, just become familiar with these works. While none of these books is required, all of them are worth reading, will help you understand the lectures, and will enrich your experience in Europe.