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European and International Public Policy

Overview

Module description

This module examines - from a public policy perspective - the way in which key policy issues that transcend borders are handled by major regulatory powers across the globe. These are the EU, the USA and China. The idea is to expose you to similarities and differences that underpin the way in which the three major trading blocs deal with these policy issues. Areas covered include financial services, the protection of the environment, agriculture and trade. Do they converge? Do they differ from each other? How do they relate to each other? What is the ‘Brussels effect’ and how does it operate?

Indicative module syllabus

Part A: EU policy output 

  • Policy making in the EU (Community method etc.) 
  • The single market 
  • Financial services 
  • Environment and agriculture 
  • Trade and development aid

Part B: International public policy 

  • NAFTA, TPP etc. (‘regional markets’) 
  • Trade and development aid (USA + China) 
  • Financial services 
  • Environment 
  • Agriculture

Learning objectives

By the end of this module, you will:

  • have developed detailed knowledge of the theoretical frameworks developed by social scientists in an effort to explain the operation of global regulatory powers
  • have acquired a critical understanding of the EU policy process 
  • be able to analyse the contemporary operation of the USA and China as global regulatory powers 
  • have acquired detailed knowledge with regards to major contemporary political phenomena such as ‘the Brussels effect’ 
  • be able to synthesise a variety of materials across primary and secondary texts to explain and support your own arguments concerning key problems in the study of contemporary policy making.