Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence "The European Union in World Politics: What Power? What Leadership? A Multidisciplinary Approach"

Scientific Coordinator: Giuliana Laschi.

Scientific Committee: Francesca Fauri (University of Bologna - Italy); Giulio Ecchia (University of Bologna - Italy); Marco Balboni (University of Bologna - Italy); Marco Borraccetti (University of Bologna - Italy); Sonia Lucarelli (University of Bologna - Italy); Paolo Zurla (University of Bologna - Italy); Mauro Maggiorani (University of Bologna - Italy); Carlos Eduardo Pacheco Amaral (University of Azores - Portugal); George Contogeorgis (University of Athens - Greece); Maria Manuela Tavares Ribeiro (University of Coimbra - Portugal); Alexis Vahlas (University of Strasbourg - France); Raphaela Averkorn (University of Siegen - Germany); Ana Maria Rabelo Gomes (University of Minas Gerais - Brasil); Alexandre Mendes Cunha (University of Minas Gerais - Brasil); Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak (University of Minas Gerais - Brasil).

Summary: This project is directed to the study of patterns concerning the European Power in relation to the rest of the world. The topic will be addressed through five subthemes closely interrelated: migration, security, development cooperation, social economy and human rights. If the literature deals with each of these themes separately, the aim here is to understand them in their interrelations and by adopting a truly interdisciplinary (law, history, economy and political science) perspective. This will guaranty a constructive dialogue and will foster a significant cross fertilisation with international project partners such as Azores, Germany, Greece, Portugal, France and Brazil.
This research is particularly important and timely for several reasons. The EU is widely appreciated for its specific international stance (as a sort of civilian power of a new sort), but few consider it to be a world leader. An exploration of the reason of this and the comparison between strengths and weaknesses will therefore be undertaken. In addition, the project explores the possible internal impact of the EU’s external stance: as well as the interaction with the external environment can be considered as a gradual result of the integration process
The general aim of the project is to show how and why the EU has come to assume the status of a global power, and to what extent this status affects the international context. The activities foreseen include research, teaching and the organisation of several events and outputs. Given the high importance of the theme of research, an impact in the international academic community and in the local civil society is envisaged. The meetings of general monitoring of the ED Scientific Committee, the percentage of conference’s lecturers going on with the research activity, the attendance forms and the questionnaires for the general public and the number of visitors of the website will constitute the main indicators of achievement.

Dates and duration: 1/9/2014-31/8/2017

Financing: European Union. Programme: Erasmus + - Jean Monnet

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Jean Monnet Chair "Different Paths of Integration in Europe after the II World War: Economy vs Politics at the root of EU"

Scientific Coordinator Giuliana Laschi.

Partner: Carlos Eduardo Pacheco Amaral (University of Azores - Portugal); George Contogeorgis (University of Athens - Greece); Maria Manuela Tavares Ribeiro (University of Coimbra - Portugal); Alexis Vahlas (University of Strasbourg - France); Raphaela Averkorn (University of Siegen - Germany); Alexandre Mendes Cunha (University of Minas Gerais - Brasil); Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak (University of Minas Gerais - Brasil).

Summary: This project aims at investigating, from an historical perspective, the different paths of the European integration process after the world war II. If it is possible to ascribe ECSC and EEC to the functionalist design of economic integration, the real attempt of political integration is instead represented by the Council of Europe. On this basis, the research will take as a case study the issue of fundamental rights, focusing mainly on the contribution of the Council of Europe to the definition and recognition of democratic and legal principles in the overseas territories of states parties, in spite of an almost total lack of real powers.
The Council of Europe is probably Europe’s most misunderstood organisation. Nonetheless the Council retained its pluralist vision of Europe and respect for fundamental rights, sharpened by the extreme violence of Nazi domination and war. While Europe embarked on the road towards union two years later, with the ECSC, then in 1957 with the EEC, there remained at the core of the Council something more deeply “political” than integration based on a common market and free trade. At a time when the European public is calling into question the legitimacy of EU institutions and the purpose of integration, it is useful to turn our attention to two issues poorly analyzed by historians: the Council of Europe’s activities and its relationships with ECSC and EEC.
The activities foreseen in the three years include research, teaching and the organisation of several events and outputs aimed at enhancing knowledge on EU studies in the academic context and among civil society. The students’ level of active participation through the virtual platform, the percentage of conference’s lecturers going on with the research activity, the attendance forms and the questionnaires for the general public and the visitors of the website will constitute the main indicators of achievement.

Dates and duration: 1/9/2014-31/8/2017

Financing: European Union. Programme: Erasmus + - Jean Monnet

Website in construction

Modulo Jean Monnet “The European Union Immigration Law”

Scientific Coordinator: Marco Borraccetti.

Summary: This project will provide students and people interested in the field with the opportunity to dwell on the study of the European Law on the Migration taking into consideration also the difference with the freedom of movement of the EU citizens, the different system inside the EU, the dispute on the possibility to grant the national citizenship of a Member State to those people who are born on its territory and whose parents are nationals of a third country and the intricacy of its standing in a complex and interdependent world.
However, rather than offering an overall picture, the goal is to focus on the measures governing the entrance and the refusal of entry of the non-EU citizens and their compatibility with the respect of fundamental rights. Particular attention will be placed on the international agreements concluded by the EU and/or the Member States with third countries.
The history of the Union competences on immigration is convoluted; based on intergovernmental basis, over the years the immigration policy has assumed greater importance, until the ordinary legislative procedure with the Treaty of Lisbon.
The immigration policy is a very sensitive issue for the Member States and influences many areas from economic to security, where the latter seems to prevail.
The in-depth analysis of the evolution of the different aspects caracterising this type of policy will serve as an important tool to understand the future development of the EU and its integration, also in the name of a “European identity”.
The aim is to conduct research and disseminate knowledge through teaching activities,organization of events (conferences, seminars), a website, publications, which will enhance the general awareness on the topic both in the academic context and among civil society.
Given the contentious and overlapping issues that will be debated, the impact envisaged is likely to be high and broad, reaching out to a wide range of interlocutors at different level of specialization.

Dates and duration: 1/9/2012-31/8/2015

Financing: European Union. Programme: Lifelong Learning - Jean Monnet

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Progetto di Sostegno al sistema educativo nei campi sahrawi e alla conservazione della memoria storica e culturale Sahrawi

Coordinatori: Giulia Olmi (CISP), Giuliana Laschi

Altri docenti coinvolti: Marco Balboni

Partner: Comune di Forlì, CISP, Regione Emilia Romagna

Summary: Si tratta di una cooperazione fra il centro Europe Direct Punto Europa, il Cisp ed il Comune di Forlì in merito ad attività di cooperaizone con il popolo Sahrawi, che si articola su vari progetti succedutisi senza soluzione di continuità a partire dal 2006. Il centro Europe Direct fornisce un supporto nell’elaborazione e nel miglioramento dei materiali didattici e libri di testo, nonchè in attività di conservazione della memoria e cultura sahrawi e di difesa dei diritti umani.

Financing: Regione Emilia Romagna, Ministero degli Affari Esteri, Comune di Forlì.

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European Model: past, present and future. Interpretations, challenges, sustainability.

Scientific Coordinator Giuliana Laschi.

Scientific Committee: Francesca Fauri (University of Bologna - Italy); Giulio Ecchia (University of Bologna - Italy); Marco Balboni (University of Bologna - Italy); Marco Borraccetti (University of Bologna - Italy); Sonia Lucarelli (University of Bologna - Italy); Paolo Zurla (University of Bologna - Italy); Mauro Maggiorani (University of Bologna - Italy); Carlos Eduardo Pacheco Amaral (University of Azores - Portugal); Cristina Blanco Sio Lopez (Centre Virtuel de la Connaissance Européenne - CVCE).

Summary: This project aims at investigating, from a multidisciplinary and diachronic perspective, the origins and evolutions of the “European model” in the international system and offer a critical review of its past and more recent successes and shortcomings.
Methodologically, the project encompasses both academic research – that will be conducted in a plurality of different archives- and the development of a multi-disciplinary dialogue opened to the public, and the civil society. Scientifically, research groups will coordinate their work through a web platform and regular meetings; PhD students and professionals (most of them unaware of the opportunities granted by the Jean Monnet programme) will be invited to participate in order to enrich the dialogue with original ideas and insight. Different perspectives will integrate in open seminars, meetings, conferences and the research output will be an invaluable source for the teaching courses of European integration history taught by the members involved in this project. The academic community will be positively impacted by the dissemination of the work’s results in terms of enhanced knowledge and deeper reflection. The inclusion of the civil society and other institutions in the debate over the topic is also a peculiar feature of the project, that will be granted by the project management of the Europe Direct Centre Punto Europa Forlì and its Scientific Committee. Citizens’ and non-University students will be provided with useful tools of knowledge to understand and interpret the current state of crisis of the European Union aside the common media-information. Finally, the collaboration with the Centre Virtuel de la Connaissance sur l’Europe offers the unique opportunity to link the Italian academic world, the local civil society of Forlì and the European dimension in an original triangular way.

Dates and duration: 1/9/2013-31/8/2014

Financing: European Union. Programme: Lifelong Learning - Jean Monnet

Website in construction

Lifelong EU. Education towards European Citizenship

Scientific Coordinator Giuliana Laschi.

Scientific Committee and partner: Francesca Fauri (University of Bologna - Italy); Giulio Ecchia (University of Bologna - Italy); Marco Borraccetti (University of Bologna - Italy); Sonia Lucarelli (University of Bologna - Italy); Paolo Zurla (University of Bologna - Italy); Mauro Maggiorani (University of Bologna - Italy); Marco Fossati (School teacher and Instructor of orientation, mobility and personal autonomy ); Camilla Laschi (Musician and architect); Enrico Lombardi (School teacher, painter and writer); Maria Rita Fedrizzi (Historian of cinema); Fabio Casini (Manager od Europe Direct Forlì), Carla Cavallini (Manager of Europe Direct Reggio Emilia), Andrea Poluzzi (Europe Direct Reggio Emilia), Stefania Fenati (Manager of Europe Direct Bologna).

Summary: The study of the European integration process in schools is mostly underestimated, when not totally absent. The main aims of this project are to raise awareness of European citizenship among young generations and to improve also the ability of school teachers to explain the EU. These goals will be reached through a series of meetings in schools and a training course addressed to teachers.
Meetings in schools (see F.3.3) will be managed by young trainers, selected among MA students of the Faculty of Political Science “Roberto Ruffilli” of Forlì (constantly top-ranked, especially for its assets in the internationalisation field ), Erasmus students and EVS volunteers in the Emilia-Romagna region. Their solid education in European Studies will be integrated with an ad hoc training course (see F.3.2). The project foresees about 150 meetings in schools in order to have a direct impact at least on 2000-3000 students. The Europe Day (see F.3.5) will be the occasion to test the results of the work done, through an educational and recreational path that will involve about 300 students from primary, middle and high schools.
The training course (see F.3.4) will involve 60 teachers (from primary, middle and high schools and selected through a regional call supported by the Emilia-Romagna Region) and will deal with the history of the EU and its institutions and on more specific topics. A new model of teaching the EU will be offered: ateliers will explain the EU and its cultural identity (cinema, music, art), making so the EU more attractive for young people. During the whole project teachers will be constantly supported through the website and e-learning activities (see F.4.1).
At the end of the project a conference (see F.3.6) will be organised to discuss with the civil society how to teach the EU in schools and to exchange good practices developed by teachers.
Finally an e-book (see F.4.2) will be produced and it will be an innovative and useful didactic tool for teachers.

Dates and duration: 1/9/2013-31/8/2014

Financing: European Union. Programme: Lifelong Learning - Jean Monnet

Website in construction

Progetti conclusi