Courses

Two fully-fledged academic courses will be taught during the seven-day intensive program. The first part of the program will focus on the symbolic aspects of promoting one's interests in European Union. The main topics will analyze how culture/symbols cross with interests using such examples as competing in symbolic dimension which vary from EuroVision contests or competitions to become the European capital of the year to the fights over European constitutions that foster one or the other state's position. Other example is media, where symbolic politics and economic interests are cross-cutting. The EU media policies are protecting European media markets and time support European media producers by instruments such as EuroSport or EuroNews Channel, Nice Film Festival or MEDIA programme. All these measures are contributing to creation of a specific European media culture

The second part will discuss the role of the separate EU actors in the decision making process and lobbying mechanisms deployed. The role of various negotiation and communication strategies will be addressed. In addition the attention will be drawn to the successful communication strategies in lobbying, which apart other skills include an ability to tell convincing stories. The discussions here will be also examine how European symbolism, cultural and symbolic politics, and history influence the formulation of lobbying strategies and tactics.

Despite the heavy course schedule, students will also have a chance to share experiences in less formal environment.   Classroom lectures will take place from Sunday to Friday in mornings and early afternoons. In addition, workshops will enable students to discuss the topics presented during the lectures, thus providing a considerable contribution to the process of learning. Reading materials for each of the lectures will be distributed upon student‘s arrival enabling them to prepare for workshops and gain additional information on the topics addressed during the lectures.

I. ANTHROPOLOGY OF EUROPEAN POLITICS

Instructors: Anna Horolets, Jon P. Mitchell

1. ANTHROPOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO EUROPEANIZATION

Anthropological perspective provides a unique framework for the study of the identification with the EU or the cultural practices involved in, developing in the course of, or even stirred by the European integration. In the long term perspective these are the vital issues that are likely to have the bearings on the shape of this process. The anthropological study of Europeanization is possible through the application of the experience of ethnographers who did their research in multi-locality and multi-group context. The course is envisaged to outline the anthropological dimensions of the European integration. Its aim is to give examples of “cultural politics” which were undertaken by the European Commission and other EU agendas up to the present moment. It will offer accounts of ethnographic research in the EU institutions and well as on the EU identities, symbols and rituals. Additionally, the course will advocate an intriguing perspective of doing anthropology not only of the “home-societies” but of such vitally quasi-territorial entity as the EU.

2. EUROPEAN DISCOURSES

It is commonly assumed that European identity is a prerequisite of successful and sustainable European integration. However, there has been heated discussion about what European identity is, what its constituents are and who may hold it – with these debates largely dominated by unhelpful methodological nationalism. The course brings back into the discussion some social anthropological work on the EU as well as classical integration theory as a basis for raising questions about the prevalent paradigm of European Studies and the aspects of culture, identity, and discourse it is argued it overlooks. It outlines a theoretical and methodological framework drawing on anthropologically and sociologically inspired concepts and political theoretical commitments that enables it to identify strategies as well as contents of EU storytelling and the version of European identity it contributes to the construction of.

3. EUROPE IN CULTURAL NARRATIVES

(Post)modern Europe is being constructed not only through the institutions and policies of the EU but also through narratives of symbolic elites, media and ordinary people. Based on case studies in different parts of Europe, this course is aimed at demonstrating the ways in which Europe is being discursively constructed in concrete socio-political and historic context thus giving a more grounded account of the European integration’s cultural dimensions. Communication is essentially the way of doing things, thus narrative is understood as a social practice. The theoretical issues of the role of discourse in society and politics will be briefly touched upon in order to demonstrate the mechanisms of communicative action. We will study the semiotics, metaphors as well as manipulations embedded in the narratives on Europe.

4. POLITICAL DISCOURSE IN EUROPE

Fortress Europe is one of the symbolic figures associated with the inaccessibility of Europe to its various “Others”. Presently, the metaphor of fortress can be applied not only to the external, but also to the internal “Others” that Europe has. This course will be devoted to the narratives of inclusion and exclusion. We will be looking at north-south, east-west as well as inside-outside as the axes of political discourse within Europe.

5. POLITICS OF EXCLUSION/INCLUSION IN EUROPE

6. PERFORMATIVE POLITICS

This course will look at the relationship between ritual and power in contemporary European society; exploring both the “classic” Durkheimian and Marxian literature which focuses on ritual’s role in generating social consensus - or as a coercive force - and more recent material that focuses on the place of ritual in plural societies. The course will look at both local and national ritual forms; public and private rituals; rituals of power and rituals of resistance.

II CULTURAL ISSUES IN LOBBYING EU

Instructors: Patrik Zoltvany, Lukas Sedlacek, Martin Shabu, Michal Kadera

Description: The aim of this seminar is to introduce two specific aspects of EU lobbying. The first part will deal with the European Public Affairs environment. The second part will be about managing a lobbying campaign. We will discuss the different types of institutions, NGOs, lobbying companies and consultancies that take part in EU policy making. Three case studies will be studied on cultural clashes in lobbying in Brussels.

1.EU DECISION MAKING PROCESS IN EU INSTITUTIONS

• European Public Affairs - key players • Pressure groups and other interest groups in Brussels • Regional Representations • Member and Applicant Countries • Commercial Sector (businesses, lobbying, consulting, etc.) • NGO's and Academia • Media