Faglig innhold

Norway’s European policy is based on a large number of agreements of which the 1992 EEA Agreement is the most well-known. Due to Norway's strong dependence on trade with EU countries, the EEA Agreement, which makes Norway part of the EU internal marked, is generally also considered as the most important of these agreements. Today, Norway is actively seeking to expand its participation in various EU collaborations. The situation reflects fundamental changes, both within the EU and in the world outside. Against a backdrop of war and crises, the EU continues to develop new policies. The climate crisis, the Covid pandemic, the Eurozone crisis, and the energy crisis are examples of challenges that in recent years have led to new European policies. Russia's war in Ukraine has accelerated the focus on security and defense, and with the recognition that the era of globalization is over, competitiveness has emerged as a key priority. In this context, EU enlargement policy has also gained new relevance and justifications. "In a world where size and weight matters", the President of the European Commission said when arguing the need for a successful vision of another Eastern enlargement in her 2023 State of the Union address, "it is clearly in Europe's strategic and security interests to complete our Union". The question we will explore in this course is what the new developments, both inside and outside the EU, mean for Norway's relationship with the European Union. How do we navigate our relationship as a non-member, and what opportunities and limitations does it offer in a world that looks fundamentally different from the world as it looked when the EEA Agreement was signed?

The module responds to the strong demand from society and professionals for up-to-date knowledge and expertise on Norway's association with the EU in key policy areas, including climate, health, security and defense, energy, trade, and industrial development. After more than three decades of being linked to the EU via the EEA Agreement, Norway’s relationship with the EU is a textbook example of what is referred to in the academic literature as external differentiated integration (EDI). The module provides perspectives on Norway's relationship with the EU by comparing it with other forms of cooperation between the EU and third countries, and it offers theoretical tools to help you analyze and understand European integration today.

Læringsutbytte

Successful candidates are expected to have acquired the following knowledge and skills:

Knowledge

• in-depth empirical knowledge of Norway’s current relationship with the EU
• knowledge of key differences between Norway's association and other forms of EDI
• knowledge of conceptual and theoretical approaches related to Norway’s relationship with the EU, that include, but which are not restricted to, the wriggle room, decision-shaping and external differentiated integration

Skills:

• the ability to assess Norway’s relationship with the EU and to compare this relationship to other associations with the EU in a theoretically informed manner
• the ability to conduct independent research on Norway’s relations with the EU, based on primary and secondary sources
• the ability to communicate their knowledge orally and in writing, using the appropriate terminology

Læringsformer og aktiviteter

Lectures, group discussions and presentations. Throughout the course, students work on an individual research paper, the purpose of which is to enhance students' ability to apply knowledge and tools to real-world challenges and to communicate their knowledge in a clear and professional manner. In addition, the semester assignment will take the form of a position paper (in groups of 2). It is expected that the semester assignment and the examination (the research paper) must be completed in English. Exceptions must be clarified with the course coordinator.

Obligatoriske aktiviteter

• Position Paper

Anbefalte forkunnskaper

Bachelor's degree in European Studies and Foreign Languages ​​​or equivalent approved education.

Forkunnskapskrav

None.

Kursmateriell

An overview of the syllabus will be made available before the start of the semester.

Studiepoengreduksjon