European Politics and Society

The increased integration of Europe and its rise as a world power has meant that it has become increasingly important to understand European societies and politics. Not only is it important for EU citizens, but also for others around the world who watch with interest the rise of this new economic, political and social entity. This course will aim to provide this understanding through two basic approaches: political and social. The political approach begins with an overview of political developments in Europe over the twentieth Century (Cold War; fall of the Iron Curtain; breaking of the Berlin Wall; nationalist struggles and strife; integration of Europe) and a comparative understanding of political institutions and parties in different countries as well as at a European level.

The social approach will consider the ways in which European societies have been shaped and changed, including factors such as migration, European social policies, citizenship, work and family. The course will critically assess key theories and concepts in looking at Europe, such as ideas of modernisation, social cohesion, identity and whether or not Europe can be studied as a series of types of societies or as one society. Participants will be encouraged to think about relevant contemporary issues such as population decline and xenophobia. It will look at some of the main social divisions and social relationships in Europe using a range of contemporary sources.

The course is therefore a timely and appropriate way to provide an overview of European developments through the study of key concepts and issues. It will provide participants with an up-to-date knowledge of these developments, the tools and concepts for analysing them and introduce them to the new frontiers of knowledge in these developments.

The course is based upon research projects and consultancies for the European Commission and other funding bodies carried out by the teaching team and is linked to the research centre "The New Europe Centre" Aberdeen.

Comparative European Politics

The first part of this course is devoted to European history after the Second World War with the collapse of the iron curtain, the Cold War and the end of Communism. This core course will look at political institutions, political behaviour and political processes in the whole of Europe taking into account the former Soviet bloc as well. It will present the issues of the role of the nation-state, federalism and the European Union, the form and process of public policies in European countries, the function and performance of governments and parliaments and their interaction. It will deal with the development and role of political parties and party systems in European comparison and with elections and voting at the regional, national and European level. It will discuss the link between social capital and political behaviour as well as the form and development of political value systems and political attitudes. This core course will also present the main elements of conventional and unconventional political participation on the one hand and the development of civil society in the whole of Europe on the other.

The Comparative Study of European Societies

This core course will look at Europe as a society as well as by comparing different nations and regions within it. It will look not just at the European Union, but also countries that are also in the broadest sense "European" stretching to the former Soviet Union and the former Yugoslavia. It will address key contemporary issues such as citizenship and belonging, identities in a European context, work, family and the demographic challenge as well as work-life balance. The quality of life in Europe and social capital may also be addressed as well as issues of social stratification. The course will look at contemporary phenomena such as xenophobia and racism from a sociological perspective. Hence it will consider problems and challenges in considering Europe as a society. In addition to considering these key issues, the course will take a research perspective by looking at the evidence for these trends and patterns, enabling students to be able to seek out information and assess it for themselves.

Research Methods modules

Research methods training is designed to assist students to complete their dissertation. The methods course chosen will be from amongst he portfolio of modules available on the School of Social Sciences Masters of Social Research or in the discipline-specific methods modules taught by the Department of Sociology as best fits the background, experience and needs of individual students.

Elective module

The elective module will be chosen from amongst the portfolio of modules available on other MSc degrees in the Department of Sociology, the School of Social Sciences and the College of Arts and Social Sciences, depending upon the modules available at the time, the interests of the students and their background.

Please note that not all these modules may be available to students on the MSc in European Politics and Society.

MSc 12 months full-time, 24 months part-time