Understanding the European Union
Osnova sekce
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1.
Feb 20
Intro + Integration Milestones
Student Team Presentation Suggestions:
PRESENTATION TEAMS
2.
Feb 27
Institutions and Policy-Making
3.
Mar 6
The Single Market
Commission vs. Big TechBlanca Blanco, Jimena Jos, Student 34.
Mar 13
Agriculture (and Cohesion)
Farmers and the Green DealXarois Vilela, Aoife McKevitt, Mike Zimmermann5.
Mar 20
Economic and Monetary Union
Greece after Eurozone CrisisYasmina Yuldasheva, Zarifa Alasgarova, Pavel Šesták6.
Mar 27
Area of Freedom, Security and Justice
Fortress Europe, European Solidarity and Human RightsEsha Chhabra, Anastadiia Tutchenko, May Mon Myat Thu7.
Apr 3
Foreign, Security and Defence Policies
EU Reacts to the Russian War against UkraineTaishi Ogawa, Oleksandr Hryhoriev, David Oross8.
Apr 10
Trade, Development, Enlargement
The Future of EU EnlargementFrancesco Palmieri, Laman Huseynli, Emilija Bognanovic9.
Apr 17
Energy and Environment
Uncertain Fate of the Internal Combustion EngineEmilia Riecker, David Weitschies, Student 310.
April 24
Democratic Legitimacy and EU Citizens
Euroscepticism and the Rise of Far-right PartiesMatúš Molčan, Laura Poliaková, Yaroslav DudkoFriday April 25
B 316 12:30 - 15:00
booked
EU and the USAEuropean Neighbourhood (Eastern Partnership, Union for Mediterranean)Going green or going out of business?EU and ChinaJonathan Schwanitz, Aziza Umarova, Lisa WeierichGeorgia Andreopoulou, Illia Boiko, Kent Kristjan ViiraGeorgina Artigau, Georgina Laplana, Nadia HishamJona Oelsner, Jose Pedro de la Torre, Tereza ZofiakovaMay 1
National Holiday – no class
May 8
National Holiday – no class
11.
May 15
EU and the Member States/Brexit
Brexit – 5 years onAdam Javorsky, Pavla Bendlova, Jakub Marsovszky12.
May 22
European Identity
(will take place online Google video)
Who are the Europeans?Fatoumata m Sanneh, Alicia Ross-Adams, Sophia Wigenstam, Mustafa UyarPlease email me - daniela.lences@fsv.cuni.cz - which topic you'd like to present on! It's a rough "umbrella" of a topic with wiggle room for specific cases; let's consult them in the run-up to the class.
All classes will take place in person, in Jinonice campus - room B 316 THURSDAYS 12:30-13:50
Consultation hours - after class from 14:15 - 15:15, room C 514 / online consults via Google Hangouts (by appointment)
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FINAL PAPER DEADLINES
25 May 23:59 here via Moodle assignment (scroll all the way down)
16 June 23:59
30 June 23:59 (last attempt)
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This session is a make-up for the 1st and 8th May public holidays (where we lost a session) ... all make-up classes were supposed to be held in the 19-23 May week per Academic Calendar, but this had been supposedly cancelled due to an international ECPR conference taking place on Jinonice campus.
Long story short: because we have one last presentation scheduled, we're moving online: meet.google.com/oiu-obxc-gny
The presenters obviously have to join, attendance is optional for the rest of the class, if you're looking how to procrastinate during exams seasion, join us!
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© Opinion Essay (2500 - 3000 words; excl. bibliography)
An opinion essay is a type of paper that defends – using argumentation – your opinion, your position on a topic, a policy issue or an existing dilemma.
To take a position and defend your opinion an EU-related topic and defend it requires:
· Background knowledge of how things work in the EU in general
Who does what aka EU institutions, and what powers they have aka decision-making process, what is the legal and/or strategic framework etc.
· Knowledge of your topic/issue in particular
Where does your topic fit in EU general context; is it even EU competence (background knowledge)?
What is your topic/issue all about, where’s the dilemma problem?
· Identification of multiple(!) existing positions on your topic/issue
There’s always more than one opinion, solution, position on any topic, review the spectrum and find your place
· CLEAR formulation of YOUR POSITION (opinion) in one sentence!!!
· Argumentation
Arguments in defence of your position
Arguments that refute the other positions identified above
Arguments that build on each other / do not undermine each other
Arguments that are logical
Arguments need to be supported by real-life, relevant evidence and sources
Argument that accurately work with evidence (not muddling through)
· Conclusion that wraps up your main points
· Bibliography / List of References (does not count towards words count)
You can check a helpful “how to write” guide here: https://test-english.com/explanation/b1-writing-explanations/writing-an-opinion-essay/
Assessed area
Percentage
Structure
Make sure your essay has the following:
· Introduction - what’s the topic, what’s the range of positions
and your position statement – your opinion in one sentence
· Argumentation section – at least 6 arguments in support of your position & countering the others
· Conclusion – your position and summary of your support
· Bibliography / List of sources
5
Argument depth
MAX SCORE <- specific and detailed policy relevant information X very general common sensical arguments -> MIN SCORE
20
Logic of argumentation
MAX <- are your individual arguments building on each other to support a strong position together X are they undermining each other -> MIN
10
Consistency of your paper
MAX <- everything (intro, position, argument, conclusion) hangs together in support of your position X your sections go in different directions, argument is disparate -> MIN
15
Quality of supportive evidence
MAX <- work with primary EU sources, secondary EU analyses and alternatively academic books/journals (see links above) X derivate information, excessive reliance on news servers or social media information, hoaxes, fake news, dis- or misinformation, they are not based on AI hallucinations that cannot be verified -> MIN
AI answer does NOT count as a source of evidence!!!
10
Accuracy
MAX <- information you give corresponds to your source X information you give does not correspond to the information of your source -> MIN
And I will be checking your sources randomly: whether the information you give actually matches the reference 😉.
5
Creativity
MAX <- Working off of your topic review results, found evidence and adding your own thought is original work
Just rephrasing Wikipedia, EU think tank positions or AI key points is not creative, rephrasing is just that: rephrasing -> MIN
Any AI use needs to be acknowledged (in a footnote or endnote) write a note on how did you use the AI, what for, what tasks etc.; likewise, if you have not used AI, state so clearly
5
TOTAL
= 70%
Opinion essay suggestions; what is your position on:
· The Eurozone getting a common Eurobond?
· EU decarbonising its energy sector?
· Ukraine becoming a new EU member in a fast-tracked accession process?
· Member state solidarity in reformed asylum and migration policy?
· The EU making its defence policy supranational?
· Austerity as part of a solution to the Eurozone crisis?
· European Union’s activity in light of climate change?
· European co-dependency on NATO for its security?
· Brexit – 5 years on?
· New Pact on Migration and Asylum’s impact on Human Rights compliance in the Mediterranean?
· EU regulation of tech companies in the digital single market?
· The future of the European Union integration project?
But of course any other EU-related dilemma you come up with is OK (consult)!
The submission box below - it seems it's encountered some error today (all submissions before 30th June went fine, 30th June submissions get rejected by the either Moodle or TurnItIn). If you can't submit over here, if the issue is not fixed soon-ish, please send your paper over email ;-)