IR/HS 341 - Italy and the European Union

An introductory survey of the role that Italy has played within the process of European integration as well as of the impact of that process on Italian society and politics. The first part of the course will examine the origins and the development of European integration from the aftermath of the Second World War to the present in order to provide students with some basic knowledge of the main phases and structures of such a complex phenomenon. It will then focus more in-depth on the specific Italian dimension, by analyzing the role that Italy has played in the process of European integration since World War II until today, and the domestic debate on European integration. It finally debates contemporary European political issues, relied to both the internal and external challenges of the EU. Methodologically, the course is based on a combination of both history and political science, with a strong emphasis on international relations.