European Union and Mediterranean:
Historical, Cultural, Political, Economic and Social Bases
MASTER ON-LINE
COMPLUTENSE
UNIVERSITY OF MADRID





Learning Module

3.0
European Union and Mediterranean: III. Political Dimensions                  

Academic Coordinator

Prof. Dr. Francisco Aldecoa Luzarraga | Complutense University of Madrid


Abstract

As political organization, which institutions historically have been built on certain principles, grounds and values -a legacy of centuries of human evolution towards emancipating goals like Democracy, Rule of Law, Human Rights promotion and respect, Social Welfare and Peace- the European Union [EU] maintains an intrinsic engagement and relationship with the Mediterranean Area, expressed at least in three dimensions.

1. The starting point is the unquestionable fact that several EU Member States are genuine Mediterranean countries –Spain, France, Italy, Slovenia, Greece, Cyprus and Malta [Monaco, Vatican]- forming a sort of territorial “bow” at the Northern Mediterranean seaside.
2. As political community of values/international organization, the EU maintains special institutionalized neighbourhood relations (Neighbourhood Policy [ENP] + Euromediterranean Union) with all the other Mediterranean countries in different levels, according to various historical, political, economic, social and cultural reasons. These NP relations are mainly projected in specific matters concerning respectively certain regions, areas and countries at a multilateral level.
3. Last but not least, now in a bilateral level, several EU Member States maintain special relations with certain Mediterranean countries/regions, also grounded on historical links of mutual –not always peaceful or harmonic- relations.

Considering the previous points, a comprehensive study of these political structures, relations, perceptions and projections would be highly useful to establish a political culture of dialogue, cooperation and mutual understanding and respect among the peoples and countries which form one of the world´s most ancient community of civilization.


Course Objectives


The main objective is to establish the structural political features of the Mediterranean Area, considering their systemic interactions and relations. As main goals, the Course will develop a special interest in:
 
- Determine the deep underlying historical and cultural elements which subsist and eventually condition the present political circumstances.
- Establish today´s factors of cooperation and confrontation in political issues.
- Promote a hermeneutical basis that stimulates dialectic-dialogic engagements, issues, initiatives and debates.
- Study a range of selected new phenomena which can radically influence and/or modify crucial aspects like political change/modernization, political stagnation and delusion, social and cultural crisis and political evolution, State´s failure and defeat, the role of elites and masses as actors of political change.
- Establish, analyze and compare the traditional and new systems of political values, norms and ideologies, their symbioses and mutual implications, and their relations and interactions.
       

Programmatic Contents


This Course intends to create the sufficient conditions for a productive and intensive academic experience of high educational standards. There are three means proposed to achieve it:

01. To offer a comprehensive frame of knowledge in order to qualify the students in the use of essential concepts and the most relevant theoretical approaches concerning the Political Dimensions of the Mediterranean Area. This means a good command of matters like Political Theory and Philosophy, Theory of International Politics/Relations, History, Philosophy and Theory of Culture.
02. To issue accurate methodological approaches which combine the grounds of well established proceedings and techniques with more reflexive and critical perspectives and formulas. This means an efficient use of various disciplines of the Social Sciences, taking into consideration the innovative character of a Course oriented towards analytical-hermeneutical-critical dimensions. Therefore, besides more conventional methods, a “diving” in qualitative social research techniques (Semiotic, Semantic, Semiology, Philosophy of Language, Intertextual-Studies, Iconology-Iconography, Symbolic Interaction, etc.) would be recommended- promoted-requested.
03. The basis of a solid intellectual work relies mostly on a fluent, comprehensive, efficient and confident use of relevant sources (primary and secondary), its critical-analytical ellaboration and systematic scrutiny. In that field, the Course will intend to awake among the students a sort of enthousiastic discipline combined with self-confidence, intellectual curiosity, initiative and, eventually, assertive moods.

Teaching Units
»»»

3.1
Mediterranean Europe: Political Thought, History and Culture
3.2
Dialogic vs. Dialectic: Towards a Positive Approach to Crisis and Conflicts in the Mediterranean Area
3.3
On Method: the Restructuring of Research in Reflexive, Emancipating and Critical Terms






European Higher Education Area
| ES
Complutense University of Madrid · Research Team THEORIA


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