Module 3
Paths in the EU-Jungle
An Introduction to EU History - EU Institutions - European NGOs – Civil Society - Gender Mainstreaming
Goals and Background
This module wants to give some background of the roots of the European Union and wants to help to understand the workings of the EU and the organisations trying to influence the working of the EU. The EU usually seems far away, but once people actually come in direct contact with real people from the institutions, the rules of the game become clearer. Getting close to the centre of power and the places where decisions are taken as well as meeting persons who try to influence these decisions the participants of the module hopefully will be able and willing to engage themselves more actively in EU-politics at one or another level.
Content
• EU-history
• EU-institutions
• The European Parliament
• Gender mainstreaming and lobbying for women’s issues
• European media
• European NGOs
• Civil dialogue in Europe
Methodology
Students will get an introduction into EU-History, the EU-Institutions and NGOs. Some lectures will be held at the meeting place, but the main part will take place at the various institutions and organisations itself and include indepth discussions with their respective representatives. “Learning through walking“ from one place to another, getting to know and getting involved in decision making processes and lobbying-work will be the methodology of this week. Time for reflection and discussion after the inputs and visits will provide additional opportunities to get closer to the leading principles of EU politics.
Leadership and Lectures
The workshop will be organized and facilitated by Hortense Hörburg, CIRCE. Lecturers will include Women MEPs, representatives and experts from the EU Commission and European organisations (e.g. the European Women’s Lobby, Plattform of Social NGOs etc.), European trade unions and others.
Reading list
• Trevor Salman and Sir William Nicol (ed.) Building the European
Union, a documentary history and analysis, Manchester 1997
• David W. P. Lewis, The Road to Europe, History, Institutions and
Prospects of European Integration 1945-1993, New York 1993
• Michele Cini, European Union Politics, Oxford 2003
• Stephen George, Ian Bache, Politics in the European Union, Oxford 2001
Useful links
• EU at a glance: http://europa.eu.int/comm/publications/booklets/eu_glance/12/txt_en.htm
• European Commission: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/index.htm
• EU Press releases (RAPID) (username: "guest", password:
"guest"): http://www.europa.eu.int/rapid/cgi/rapcgi.ksh
• Council of the European Union: http://ue.eu.int/
• Official Journal of the European Communities: http://www.europa.eu.int/eur-lex
• European Parliament: http://www.europarl.eu.int/
• Platform of European Social NGOs: http://www.socialplatform.org
• European Women’s Lobby: http://www.womenlobby.org
• Introduction into European Union affairs: http://europa.eu.int/abc/12lessons/index_en.htm
> QUIZ
