Is power in European executives located in the cabinet or the prime minister?

This module focuses on politics in European countries and in the European Union (EU). It also
provides a critical cross-country comparative assessment of important policies areas such as
economic policy, immigration policy and environmental policy as well as on the politics of corruption. It
equips students with knowledge and understanding of the European political context and provides
necessary skills for the further study of British, European and international politics. The main aim of
the module is to introduce students to the government and politics in Europe and the EU. It follows a
thematic structure and draws upon empirical examples from key European states (including France,
Germany, Italy, and states in Southern Europe and Central and Eastern Europe) to provide an
account of government structures and political processes at the regional, national and supranational
levels.
2. LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of the module students should have acquired:
• A good understanding of the most important challenges in contemporary European government
and politics
• The ability to identify key features of government and politics in European countries and the EU
• A recognition of the main differences of and similarities in the core political institutions of different
European states and the EU
• A recognition of the complexity of, and differences within, European governance.