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Faculty Director
Norman Vig, Professor of Political Science
Norman Vig has taught comparative politics at Carleton since 1966 and has frequently traveled and conducted research in Europe. He is author and/or editor of nine books, including two on political modernization and political economy in Western Europe. He has also served as director of the Environmental and Technology Studies (ENTS) Program at Carleton and has written extensively on environmental issues. His current interests include a book comparing the environmental policies of the European Union with those of the United States. He directed the Carleton Seminar in Maastricht in 1996.
Tentative Dates of the Program
April 1 - June 8, 1999
Location
Center for European Studies, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
The city of Maastricht (pop. 120,000) achieved new prominence in December 1991 when the member nations of the European Community met in Maastricht to sign an historic treaty establishing a more integrated European Union. But Maastricht is also the oldest city in The Netherlands, founded as a walled fortress by the Romans in 50 B.C., and is noted for its medieval churches and beautiful squares. It is located at the southern tip of the country near the Belgian and German borders, less than two hours from Brussels and five hours from Paris. English is spoken in Maastricht by most citizens, as is Dutch, French and German.
In the past decade Maastricht has become an academic and research center for study of the European Union. The Center for European Studies (CES) is a branch of Maastricht University and has access to most of its facilities. The European Institute of Public Administration is located nearby and provides a complete English-language documentary center. Numerous American, European, and other foreign students participate in CES programs. Carleton's program was held there in 1994 and 1996.
Course of Study
Students in the program take two courses and complete an independent study project for a total of fifteen credits in political science (PS 384-07 also counts towards the ENTS concentration). Each course meets twice a week for two hours, on alternate days. Students also write a 3 credit independent study paper on a specialized topic. All work is in English.
Political Science 383-07
Political and Economic Integration of Europe
This course examines the formation, development, institutions, laws, and policies of the European Union, with special emphasis on current issues arising from the Maastricht and Amsterdam Treay revisions in the 1990s. Students will be divided into smaller groups to focus on different policy areas during the last two weeks of the course. Taught by faculty from Maastricht University. 6 credits.
Political Science 384-07
Environmental Policy of the European Union
This course will focus on the development of common policies for protection of the environment in the European Union. Topics covered will include the European environmental movement, the relationship between environmental protection and economic integration, EU environmental programs, concepts of sustainable development and ecological modernization, and new regulatory policies and instruments. Taught by Professor Vig. 6 credits.
Political Science 391-07
Independent Study Project
With the advice and supervision of Prof. Vig or Maastricht University faculty, each student carries out a research project and writes a paper on a specialized topic of his or her choice. Papers may address any issue related to the European Union and may incorporate material from study trips. 3 credits.
Study Trips
All students participate in two four-day study trips outside Maastricht. On the first trip in late April we will visit NATO headquarters and the central institutions of the European Union in Brussels, Luxembourg, and possibly Strasbourg, France. The group will receive briefings from NATO and EU officials on current issues. The second trip is tentatively planned to examine problems related to eastward enlargement of the European Union and NATO, probably in Prague, Czech Republic. Travel will be done as a group by bus or train.
Housing
Students will be housed in Maastricht University dormitories occupied by Dutch and foreign students. No more than three Carleton students will normally reside on the same floor, to encourage integration with students from other countries. Each dorm floor has a kitchen and other facilities for cooperative use. Students may use their meal allowance to prepare their own food and/or to eat at the university cafeteria or in the hundreds of pubs and restaurants in the city.
Eligibility
The program is primarily designed for students who are interested in contemporary European affairs and who have some background in political science and/or international relations and environmental policy. To participate in the program, students must have completed Political Science 120 or 170 and at least one ENTS course (preferably ENTS/ Political Science 262 or 268) by March 1999; or obtain special permission from the Director.
Application Procedure
Applications for the program will be taken in two stages: during spring term and fall term 1998. It is expected that the majority of participants will be selected from applicants who apply by May 8, 1998; the remaining places will be filled by a second round of applications due Oct. 2, 1998. Application forms are available from the Off-Campus Studies Office and must be returned to the Director by the application deadlines. Students will be notified of acceptance within two weeks of the application deadlines.
Financial Arrangements
The Carleton comprehensive fee covers all instructional costs, room and board during the program dates, program study trips (but not personal travel), and other events arranged by the program. Students must pay their own air fare to and from the program site. Students are also responsible for the cost of books (other than materials prepared for the course) and personal expenses. Student financial aid applies to the expenses of the program.
*Carleton reserves the right, at its option and without liability, to make cancellaltions, changes, or substitutions in cases of emergency or changed conditions or in the interest of the program. Students with disabilities should consult with the faculty director and/or the Director of Off-Campus Studies as soon as possible to discuss reasonable accommodations.