Sem (BA/MEd) Political Economy of Euroscepticism

Dozent:innen: Dr. habil. Rafal Riedel
Kurzname: Sem Pol. economy
Kurstyp: Seminar

Voraussetzungen / Organisatorisches


Bereiche: IB, W+G
Gültig für folgende vom Institut angebotenen Studiengänge:
- BA Aufbaumodule 2/3
- MEd Sozialkunde (Modul Querschnittsprobleme im politischen Kontext)

Anwesenheitspflicht

Wer in der ersten Sitzung unentschuldigt fehlt, verliert den Anspruch auf den Seminarplatz (Entschuldigung per Mail an Dozent*in ist ausreichend, kein ärztliches Attest erforderlich).

Empfohlene Literatur

Carpenter, M. J., Brunet-Jailly, E., & Hallgrímsdóttir, H. K. (2024). Crisis, contention, and Euroscepticism. Frontiers in Political Science, 6, 1420335.
Gifford, C. (2016). The United Kingdom's eurosceptic political economy. The British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 18(4), 779–794.
Kopecký, P., & Mudde, C. (2002). The two sides of Euroscepticism: Party positions on European integration in East Central Europe. European Union Politics, 3(3).
Mudde, C. (2011). Sussex v. North Carolina: The comparative study of party-based Euroscepticism. Sussex European Institute Working Paper, 121.
Riedel, R. (2018). Euroscepticism and monetary security in Europe. In P. Frankowski & A. Gruszczak (Eds.), Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives on Regional and Global Security (pp. 1–21). Palgrave Macmillan.
Taggart, P., & Szczerbiak, A. (2013). Coming in from the cold? Euroscepticism, government participation and party positions on Europe. Journal of Common Market Studies, 51(1).
Usherwood, S. (2018). The third era of British Euroscepticism: Brexit as a paradigm shift. The Political Quarterly, 89(4), 553–559.

Inhalt

Euroscepticism has moved from the margins to the maintstream of contemporary European politics, shaping party competition, referenda, and the trajectory of integration itself — from Brexit to the rise of Eurosceptic parties across the continent. This seminar introduces the political economy of Euroscepticism: why opposition to European integration emerges, how it varies across countries, parties, and social groups, and what role economic crises play in fuelling it.
Building on conceptual foundations (definitions, typologies, and the Euroscepticism–Euro-optimism–Eurorealism spectrum), the course moves to comparative case studies — including the United Kingdom, Poland, Hungary, Greece, and non-EU states such as Norway and Switzerland — and examines Euroscepticism through the lens of party politics, social groups, and monetary integration (EMU). Particular attention is paid to the 2008 financial crisis as a turning point in Eurosceptic mobilisation and to Brexit as its most consequential manifestation to date. Germany's central position within the EU, and the diverse backgrounds of participating students, provide a valuable comparative vantage point for these discussions.
The seminar combines lecture input, case-study discussion, and independent research. Students design and present a short research paper on an aspect of Euroscepticism of their choice.
The course language is English. The course is offered as a block seminar and will take place on the dates specified below.

Zusätzliche Informationen

Learning Objectives
Understand the political economy approach to Euroscepticism
Identify the sources and drivers of Euroscepticism, Euro-optimism, and Eurorealism as political phenomena
Compare manifestations of Euroscepticism across countries, parties, and social groups
Assess the relevance of supranational, national, and subnational levels for explaining Euroscepticism
Critically analyse the social, economic, political, and legal determinants of Euroscepticism
Course Structure
Date Topic Focus
24.10.2026 Foundations Introduction and course logistics; key concepts, typologies, and theories of Euroscepticism; the Euroscepticism–Euro-optimism–Eurorealism spectrum; determinants of Eurosceptic attitudes.
21.11.2026 Comparing Countries Country case studies: the United Kingdom and Brexit, Poland, Hungary, Greece, and non-EU cases (Norway, Switzerland). Comparing national varieties of Euroscepticism.
05.12.2026 Actors & Monetary Integration Party-based Euroscepticism; Euroscepticism among social groups (e.g. farmers, labour); opposition to monetary integration (EMU) as a distinct strand of ('EURO-') scepticism.
16.01.2027 Crisis, Research, Synthesis The 2008 financial crisis as driver of 'third-generation' Euroscepticism; student presentations of research papers; concluding discussion.
Requirements
All participants:
Active participation throughout the course, based on the assigned readings
A short discussion paper applying course concepts to a case of the student's choice
A brief in-class presentation of the discussion paper during the final session
Only those seeking to complete their module exam (Modulprüfung):
• A term paper that complies with the term paper guidelines specified on the website of the Institute of Political Science

Termine

Datum (Wochentag) Zeit Ort
24.10.2026 (Samstag) 11:00 - 18:00 02 611 Seminarraum
1137 - Georg-Forster-Gebäude (Sowi)
21.11.2026 (Samstag) 11:00 - 18:00 02 611 Seminarraum
1137 - Georg-Forster-Gebäude (Sowi)
05.12.2026 (Samstag) 11:00 - 18:00 02 611 Seminarraum
1137 - Georg-Forster-Gebäude (Sowi)
16.01.2027 (Samstag) 11:00 - 18:00 02 611 Seminarraum
1137 - Georg-Forster-Gebäude (Sowi)