BALV3500 EU Law and Politics Course description

This course discusses the most important legal aspects and political dynamics of the European Union (EU). The focus is on its legal foundations, institutional structure and decision-making processes. At the end of the course the student will be able to understand and critically assess core issues arising in the field of EU Law, the development of the EU’s political system, and the main political dynamics that characterize the European context. Emphasis is given also to the EEA Agreement and to the relationship between Norway and the European Union.

None

Knowledge

The student will have knowledge of:

• The origins of the European Union: historical development, Treaties, theories of European integration

• Topics of EU Law: values and aims of the Union, legal sources, effects of EU legislation in the national systems, main provisions in the field of the internal market, the EEA Agreement, etc.

• The functioning of the EU institutional framework: composition and competences of the institutions, procedures, inter-institutional relations and main political dynamics that characterize the decision-making processes

• Key challenges to the EU’s political system: democracy and differentiation

• Topical issues: relationship between Norway and the EU, current issues in the European context

Skills

The student will be able to:

• Demonstrate understanding of the European integration process from both a legal and a political perspective

• Solve basic legal questions of EU Law independently, identifying and utilizing relevant legal sources

• Analyze and illustrate how the institutional structure and decision-making processes of the EU work, considering both legal and political aspects

• Discuss critically key challenges and current issues in the European context

General competence

The student will be able to:

• Understand and critically assess core issues in the European context

• Use specialized terminology and write on the topics studied

The course is based on lectures, group work, assignments, and literature.

The students, working individually or in groups, are required to submit a written work of maximum 1200 words. The groups, topics and other aspects will be decided by the lecturer and announced on Canvas during the course. Approval is a condition for being allowed to take the exam. In case the submission is not approved, the student is given a new deadline for a new submission. If the new submission is not approved, then the student is not admitted to the exam.

The exam in the course is a home exam over a period of 3 hours.

The candidates can write their answers in English or Norwegian.

This course is based on a series of visits to libraries, archives and/or museums that is connected to a preselected theme. The theme is chosen in consultation with the course supervisor and the series of visits are determined by and related to that theme. Students may select themes related to services and programming, policies and guidelines, collections, knowledge organization and management practices, universal design, dissemination practices as well as current issues and other matters relevant to the institutions. The visits can be to libraries, archives or museums, or various combinations of the three. Other information and culture institutions may be included if relevant to the selected theme.;Visits are generally based on meeting with relevant staff members at the organizations as well as the students' own informal observations.;Students shall compile a reading list of 800 pages related to the selected theme.;

The language of the course is dependent upon the students and can be in English or Norwegian.

None.

Knowledge

The student

• has knowledge of the pertinent literature and scholarly research concerning the selected theme
• has familiarity with the related legal and policy documents related to the theme
• has determined relevant concepts, models and/or theories related to the theme
• has awareness and understanding of ethical considerations related to the theme
• has insight to current practices at libraries or other information and culture-disseminating organizations related to the theme

Skills

The student

• can apply the skills and knowledge from their previous courses in Library and Information Science
• can search for, synthesize, critically analyze and correctly reference source material(s)
• can critically assess the connection between theory, policy and practice related to a selected theme within the field of libraries and librarianship or archival studies

General Skills

The student

• can initiate, organize, carry out and communicate a project
• can plan, write and complete a project report to an academic standard
• can communicate professionally and coordinate with professionals in the field

The course is based on independent study.