Course: “Introduction to European politics: origins, principles, values”

5 ECTS,
Spring semester 2023/2024
The course is dedicated to the presentation of the main principles of European politics from the beginning to the present. During the study of the course, students’ attention will be focused on the question of the formation of the European system of values that formed the basis of politics, the main concepts that determine the essence of understanding politics in Europe. The course will be interdisciplinary in nature and will take into account approaches that exist in political philosophy, political studies, theory of international relations, law, and social theory.
Main topics of the course:
1. Agora – the place where European politics was born
2. Plato: the rise of European dream about ideal society
3. Aristotle: principles of politeia
4. Res Publica as political order for European societies
5. The rising of Leviathan: how Europe created modern state
6. Modern ideologies in Europe
7. To the Perpetual Peace: what Kant teeches about future of Europe.
8. Building the European community: short history of EU
9. Modern foundations of European societies: trust, justice, democracy
10. Civil society in Europe: creating active citizenship
11. Building party systems in European countries: comparative perspective
12. The principles of EU-Ukraine cooperation

Course: “Policies of the European Union”

5 ECTS,
Spring semester 2024/2025
The course aims to familiarize students with the main policies of the European Union. In the process of studying the course, the main aspects of the political structure of the EU, the functioning of European institutions and their policies, as well as the economic policy of the EU, international policy, neighborhood policy and others will be discussed. The teachers intend to give students an understanding of these problems, as well as to discuss with them the main current trends that affect EU policies.
Main topics of the course.
1. The political structure of the European Union
2. Competences of the European Union
3. Legal basis of EU
4. EU economic policy
5. European institutions and their politics
6. Electoral Systems in Europe: from local elections to the European Parliament
6. EU political parties
7. Foreign policy of EU
8. European Neighbourhood Policy
9. European hard-, soft- and smart-power
10. The idea of European citizenship
11. Modern trends in European politics

Course: “European politics for future: lessons to Ukraine”

5 ECTS,
Spring semester 2025/2026
The course is devoted to the modern challenges facing the European Union, the answers to them, as well as lessons for Ukraine based on the European experience. The current situation is very changeable and creates problems with security, pandemic, post-truth, populism. All this requires an effective policy aimed at solving these problems. The course will present European methods of solving these problems, as well as the implementation of the principles of European policy in Ukraine, which will contribute to its European integration.
Main topics of the course.
1. European politics: finding harmony between traditions and modernization
2. European poltical values and principles versus Populism
3. European poltical values and principles versus posttruth
4. European politics in time of Covid-19
5. Europe and Russian aggression: Support for Ukraine
6. Building the security system in Europe
7. European leadership in the world
8. Perspectives of European integration
9. Ukrainian way to European Union
10. Challenges and opportunities for European Union