Political Economy of Europe

Course content

This independent study aims to provide an analytical insight to the ongoing process of European integration examined through the development of political and economic structures. It starts by examining the rise of social protection systems in Europe and then goes on to link them to the emergence of the EC and its role in fostering welfare capitalist structures. The course then examines a series of important policy initiatives shaping the map of European political economy such as market integration, the Social Dialogue and the European Employment Strategy. It complements the empirical analysis with a theoretical approach to recent developments on European integration through the prism of Europeanization in general and the models of capitalism literature more particularly.