The European Union’s Role in Security and Global Affairs

This MSc CSM Elective/Microcredential Pilot ‘The European Union’s Role in Security and Global Affairs’ has been developed as part of the education offerings of the Jean Monnet Chair on the EU’s role in Security and Global Affairs. In this course, we will together analyse some core challenges the EU is facing in the realm of security and global affairs, examine responses, limitations and alternative approaches. This course serves as both an elective for the MSc in Crisis and Security Management as well as the pilot course for the EURISGA Micro-credential with the same title. The course is therefore also open to the wider Leiden community beyond the MA.

Background and Context

The European Union (EU) and its member states have not only committed themselves to building an internal politico-economic integration project, but have also attempted to forge a common approach to its external relations. Indeed, since the 1970s, the EU has increasingly tried to develop a meaningful role and impact in global affairs, particularly in relation to tackling a variety of cross-border challenges of global governance. However, particularly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and in an increasingly geopoliticised international climate of great power rivalry and changing power realignments, the EU and its member states grapple with responding effectively to a wide range of security and defence challenges.

At the same time, pressing threats and global governance challenges, such as climate change, the governance of Artificial Intelligence, the undermining of democracy and human rights and the rise of regional and world-wide conflicts, continue to require effective policy responses by the Europeans. But are the EU, its member states and its partners up to it? What works, what does not work and what needs to be done to strengthen the EU’s and Europeans’ role in security and global affairs?

This course seeks to offer concrete answers to these questions by inviting students to explore the evolution, policies and potentials, successes and failures and concrete ways ahead for the European Union, its member states and its international partners in the realm of security and global affairs. Particular emphasis will be placed on the EU’s inter-organisational relations with other core organisations (esp. the United Nations and NATO) and an analysis of the challenges of advancing global governance solutions in an increasingly geopoliticised international environment.

The course also includes guest lectures by senior practitioners as well as EURISGA Teaching Fellows.