HISTORY & STRUCTURE OF THE EU
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How the EU Works (Required) - written in 2012, but updated in 2020. A good and concise introduction to decision-making and institutions of the EU.
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Fact Sheets of the European Union: How the European Union Works - A robust collection of fact sheets explaining the EU's historical development, legal system and decision-making procedures, institutions and bodies, and financing.
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Animated short film from The Atlantic Selects series “Voting in the EU” - created in 2019 in run-up for the European Parliament elections. Written by European Constitutional Law Professor Tom Eijsbouts and animated and directed by Anna Eijsbouts. Curated by The Atlantic.
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Europa: The History of the European Union - Within each decade's box, be sure to click the link to read "More about" those years.
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Keys to European Politics - YouTube series
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Building Europe: Architecture and the Euro - From the University of Pittsburgh's Summer Institute for Global Educators in Summer 2021. (Strongly Recommended)
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Excerpts on the EU - Primary sources with annotations written for first-year college students. (Strongly Recommended)
CURRENT ISSUES THE EU FACES AND TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS
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Ten Issues to Watch in 2025 (Required) – an annual report produced by the European Parliament Research Services.
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Trade, Technology, and the Transatlantic Relationship [video] – a conversation with European Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis held at the University of Pittsburgh on September 30, 2021.
- European Union - United States Relations: Toward a Renewed Transatlantic Partnership - this factsheet highlights joint EU-US actions in 5 focus areas.
- EU-US Relations - from the Delegation of the European Union to the U.S.
- EU-US Trade Relations - from the European Commission.
RECOVERY PLAN FOR EUROPE: NextGenerationEU and EU Climate Policy
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Recovery plan for Europe - Introduction to EU climate policy.
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European Energy and Climate Policy overview [video] - Europe Today lecture from the University of Pittsburgh.
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Europe's Green Recovery [video] - a conversation with European Commission Executive Vice President Frans Timmermans held at the University of Pittsburgh on March 2, 2021. (Strongly Recommended)
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“The Ukraine-EU Relationship” at the UK in a Changing Europe website. Joël Reland, 3 March 2022. (Required)
RECENT CRISES IMPACTING THE EU
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Conversations on Europe: The State of Democracy in Europe (Required). Part of the ESC's Conversations on Europe series, this session presented a panel of experts addressing the rise of right-wing populism, illiberal forms of democracy, declining party loyalty, and evidence of increasing disenchantment with the current state of democracy in Europe. From December 6, 2023.
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Conversations on Europe: Creating Europe Through Crisis. Part of the ESC's Conversations on Europe series, this session invited experts from the European Union Studies Association to explore how recent crises – financial, Brexit, migration, democratic backsliding, the pandemic – have shaped the EU over the past decade. From January 28, 2021.
BREXIT
- "What Does the Brexit Deal Mean” by Matt Bevington, 20 Jan 2021 for the UK in a Changing Europe (Note: This website is excellent and has a rich variety of resources to explore beyond this one article.)
- “Update on Brexit” from February 4, 2021 at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Anand Menon, Director of UK in a Changing Europe, discusses the potential impacts of Brexit for Europe, the UK, and the transatlantic relationship (within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic).
RESOURCES
Fact Sheets on the European Union - complete collection from European Parliament.
The ESC at the University of Pittsburgh and the CES at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have numerous resources for educators available on our websites, which you should explore freely.
- Video Resources on Europe at Pitt
- Lesson Plans and Syllabi (from past Brussels Study Tour participants)
- Templates for building your own lesson plan available