The Jean Monnet Chair in the History of European Unification has created new teaching activities at all levels in the University of Florence, strategically improving the curricula of "International Studies" (1st cycle), "International Relations" (2nd cycle) and "History of International Relations" (3rd cycle and Doctoral studies). It responds to a local identified need and to the general objectives of the Jean Monnet Programme.

The Chair means to enhance knowledge of the European construction process, covering the whole evolution of the European Communities and the European Union, starting from the pre-constructive phase, to get to the present time and challenges. An innovative scientific approach has been proposed, studying the intersections of governmental and non-governmental actions, comparing the political and economic results obtained through traditional means of international relations and international organization with the transnational dimension of the main issues at stake in the European construction process. The analysis pays specific attention to the institutional change, the gradual rise of governance within the institutions, and the key issue of enlargement.

1. Teaching activities:

Module 1: History of European Unification: Just a Pattern of International Organization?
Module 2: History of European Unification: Governmental and Non Governmental Interactions
Module 3: History of European Unification: The EEC, the EU, and the World
Module 4: History of European Unification: The EEC, the EU, and the 'American Friend'
Module 5: History of European Unification: Enlargement and the 'European Empire'
Module 6: History of European Unification: Globalisation, the EU, and Some Transnational Issues

2. Organisation of events:

2.1 Seminar: The EU and Its Enemies
2.2 Conference: The EU and Its Friends
2.3 Workshop: Enlargement and Citizenship
2.4 Round Table: The European Construction Process and the Cold War: A Re-Assessment
2.5 Study Visit: The Historical Archives of the European Union

3. Publication activities:

Teaching materials, Book, CD-Rom, DVD, Website, Database, Newsletter

Long-term direct beneficiaries of the Chair activities are present and future students of the University of Florence, who will enjoy the results of work developed in the next five years within the dense framework of activities described above. Furthermore, identified target groups (academics, diplomats, media, representatives of the civil society) will take advantage for a long time of the presence of such a framework of activities in the University, because of the close bonds that already exist between the structure and their own organisations.

The Chair in the History of European Unification has fostered a new set of activities, exploiting both the competence already acquired by the academic 'environment' (the Department of "Studies on the State", which has been hosting and often co-financing many 'European' initiatives and some Jean Monnet actions) and the new expertise brought by the Chairholder, who held a Jean Monnet Chair and a Jean Monnet multi-disciplinary module at the University of Urbino "Carlo Bo" some years ago.

This connection has triggered important synergies with other multi-disciplinary activities promoted and co-ordinated by the Chairholder, who directs an inter-university centre for Cold War studies in Florence and a Doctoral course in the History of International Relations, counting on a spefic inner curriculum in the History of European Integration.

Announcements

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University of Florence, Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence