Globalisation has been widely debated in International Political Economy. This module has the task to assess its impact on European politics and integration. First, various definitions of globalisation will be introduced, before its impact on individual European countries and the European Union as a whole is analysed. Is there a general institutional and policy convergence of states due to globalisation, or do states respond in different ways? Does globalisation leave room for alternative economic-political models? Is European integration a defensive response to globalisation or simply part and parcel of the processes of global structural change? What are the likely characteristics of the future economic-political model of the EU? These are some of the questions, which will be addressed in the module.

Educational Aims

• To introduce students to different theoretical approaches to globalisation and structural change;
• To develop an understanding of the phenomenon of globalisation at advanced theoretical and empirical level;
• To provide an understanding of the specific impact of globalisation on large and small European countries;
• To clarify the relation between European integration and global structural change