EU-PO-LIS
(THE EUROPEAN POLITY POST LISBON)
Assessing Macro-Trends in European Integration
from a "Fusion" perspective

Jean Monnet Programme - Multilateral Research Group

The reason for the EU-PO-LIS multilateral research group is to make a lasting contribution to stimulate academic debates on the evolution of the EU by treaty reforms, focussing especially on the Lisbon Treaty. This “milestone” is ideal for theory-driven academic reflection on the ‘quasi’-constitutional evolution of the European polity from an interdisciplinary (political science, law, history) and trans-national perspective.

The project shall pursue as core objectives:

·          define key guiding questions to generate an interdisciplinary research agenda for the academic community for years to come (drafted by research group Cologne),

·          generate and test a set of guiding theses, qualitative and quantitative indicators for analysing trends of treaty reforms and assess the impact of the Lisbon Treaty on the EU political system and contribute further to theory-building, in this project particularly through the “fusion” approach, as well as on the quasi-constitutional evolution of the polity,

·          develop and up-date teaching curricula and materials by publishing a Teaching Companion and a Virtual Teaching Unit for Ph.D, postgraduate students at institutions of higher education, and for academically founded political advice to stake holders and civil society.

The EU – PO-LIS project will deliver following outputs:

·          two Public Lectures and Debates for civil society,

·          two Annual Conferences with experts, practitioners and stakeholders,

·          three Working Papers and three Final Papers and a comprehensive  final publication,

·          a Teaching Companion containing materials for teaching and training

·          Virtual Teaching Unit and a project webpage

As impact the EU-PO-LIS project expects to deepen and widen the academic work on the Treaty of Lisbon, stimulating academic research and reflection and enhance knowledge for Ph.D., MA and BA students in university courses, as well as experts and practitioners and an interested public throughout civil society. The project will further strengthen cooperation within the Jean Monnet network and the wider community of researchers on European integration in old, new and applicant Member States and promote a more integrated interdisciplinary and transnational network through joint research meetings and conferences.

Project Partners:
--- University of Cologne (Germany), Jean Monnet Chair in Political Science (Wolfgang Wessels)
--- University of Liverpool (UK), Europe in the World Centre (Lee Miles)
--- Charles University - Prague (The Czech Republic), Institute of International Studies (Lenka Rovna)
--- Fondation nationale des sciences politiques (Science-Po) - Paris (France), Centre for European Studies (Renaud Dehousse)
--- Middle East Technical University (METU) - Ankara (Turkey), Centre for European Studies (Atila Eralp)
--- Bulgarian European Community Studies Association (BECSA) (Krassimir Nikolov, Katia Hristova-Valtcheva)

Project Activities involving BECSA:

26 January 2009 - launching seminar at the University of Cologne (Germany)