Document Type

Undergraduate Syllabus

Date

Spring 2005

School

Diplomacy

Course Number

DIPL 2112/6509

Course Description

The recent EU enlargement is having serious implications on EU institutions. The impact on the new member countries is going to be even bigger. This is particularly true for Cyprus. First of all, Cyprus' accession to the European Union on May1st signaled a colossal tide of change for this small country of under a million inhabitants. Enlargement opened the gates to a single market of 25 member states while granting 450 million citizens certain indisputable rights. Second of all, Cyprus is a divided country without a political settlement, therefore posing intriguing challenges for implementing basic European acquis.

In this course, we will assess the economic, political and social impact of EU membership on Cyprus. We will gain insights based on the perceptions of different actors, namely public sector—e.g., central and local government officials, university officials, court and central bank representatives; private sector— e.g., chamber of commerce, labor unions, representatives of farmers; and civil society, e.g., members of the press and NGO representatives.

This triangulation technique will allow us to draw a realistic picture of the potential benefits, costs, and most importantly the challenges for a new EU member. Based on this assessment, we will prepare a report to list and highlight the policy issues that should be addressed in a timely manner.

This is a hands-on-course: After serious preparation, i.e., reading relevant materials and carefully preparing a research strategy, we will visit Cyprus and interact with the main players. Based on this visit, we will prepare a report, for which every member of the class will contribute.

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