Link zum Vorlesungsverzeichnis

Over the last decades, issues that are closely linked to globalisation – such as migration, trade, climate and European integration – have become more prominent in European politics. The examples are many: Citizens have protested against international trade agreements, such as Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), or against climate change, as with the Fridays for Future protests. There has been a rise in populist parties mobilising on anti-immigration sentiments. And there has been increased contestation of European integration, most prominently seen in the British decision to leave the European Union. In this course, we will examine how globalisation is seen as driving conflicts in Europe, with a particular focus on how this is related to the EU. We will look into different expressions of such political conflicts in relation to various political issues and at different political levels, and we will discuss explanations to how they come about. Furthermore, we will explore what political consequences such conflicts might have, particularly for the formation of new political cleavages.