OADI 2385 - The European Union as a Defence Actor

***UPDATED for 2025/26***

The objective of the course is to give students a clear sense of the main prospects and issues facing one of the EU’s most pressing contemporary topics: the development of EU defence capacity. The first part provides a solid historical understanding of the EU as a defence actor, gradually abandoning its self-definition as a civilian power. The contributions of the main actors will be identified, together with the process of institutionalisation of security and defence policies and practices. In the second part of the course, attention will be paid to the changing relationship with NATO and the US, the transformational impact of Russia’s war against Ukraine, and the return of Donald Trump to the White House. The response, the EU’s Defence Readiness Roadmap, raises questions that shall be explored regarding the relationship between the Commission, Council and different Member States.

Learning Outcomes

• Acquiring a comprehensive overview of the main issues related to the EU as a Defence Actor today, and how they have developed over the years.
• Understanding how formal and informal institutional dynamics work in the EU in the fields of CFSP and CSDP, and how these are affected by changes in the geopolitical context.
• Developing the analytical tools and critical thinking that can help to shed light on the underlying reasons that explain the presence or absence of “political will”.

Professional Skills

• Oral communication Communicating effectively and adequately orally. Students will be encouraged to intervene in class discussions, in a manner that is synthetic and accurate.
• Written communication One of the assignments will be in the form of a Policy Brief; the other will be an essay. In both cases, students will be encouraged to follow clear guidelines.
• Understanding stakeholders The EU as a Defence Actor course places a premium on understanding the approaches of the different stakeholders, and how they collectively shape processes and results.

General knowledge of the European Union and its main institutions.

The individual and group presentations will have immediate feedback, which will be in the classroom but may be private or by email if the situation requires it.

The written assignments will be marked and returned with comments as soon as possible, namely within a week to 10 days.

The exams will be marked as soon as possible, namely within a fortnight.

It may be possible to explore the possibility of short appointments for feedback or academic advice, possibly by zoom.

• In Class Presence: 2 hours a week / 24 hours a semester
• Reading and Preparation for Class: 2 hours a week / 24 hours a semester
• Research and Preparation for Group Work: 2.5 hours a week / 30 hours a semester
• Research and Writing for Individual Assessments: 6 hours a week / 72 hours a semester