1. Conflict Management and Peace Making
The Mediterranean is a case study par excellence for Peace and Conflict Studies. Understanding and explaining questions of war and peace has been at the heart of "International Relations" as an academic discipline – from its very beginning after the First World War.
In the last two decades Mediterranean societies have been significantly affected by inter-group violence and inter-state conflicts: from the Western Balkans to Cyprus, from Israel to Palestine, from Syria to Libya. Mediterranean conflicts are partly characterised by external interventions. The module will focus at causes and dynamics of escalation and de-escalation, including international law and peace-making in a multiperspective approach. Theories of violence and peace will help to analyse the case studies.
2. Globalised Economy in the 21st Century
The economy in the 21st century is globalised. All countries, with a few exceptions, participate in trade in goods, services and capital. There are many actors in this globalisation (States, transnational corporations, international institutions, non-governmental organisations, mafias). One of their major challenges is to be able to coordinate their actions, which brings us back to global governance. In some cases, States cooperate by signing integration agreements. The most advanced regional integration agreement is the Europe Agreement. Together with the United States and China, the European Union represents one of the three economic poles of globalisation.
In addition to this triad, since the 1990s we have seen the rise of emerging countries, which are shaking up power relations to the point where we are witnessing a shift from the centre of the world to Asia. Both economically and demographically, China and India in particular are becoming powers in their own right. The next emerging power could be not a country but a continent: Africa. While most countries in sub-Saharan Africa are developing countries facing many challenges (hunger, education, health, conflict), they are neither inactive nor resigned and the doubling of their population by 2050 is likely to be accompanied by steady economic growth.
Overall, the global economy is dynamic and allows many countries to escape poverty. But it is also a source of deep inequalities that give rise to many fears. Only a thorough analysis, based on rigorous methodological tools, makes it possible to understand and measure the issues and challenges of globalisation.
3. Regional Integration Policies
The European Union became a role model of regional integration. Nation states agreed to transform their sovereignity into a multi-level governance system sui generis to keep regional peace, increase welfare and economic power.
How is the dynamic architecture of European institutions functioning – in times of both Europeanisation and Euroscepticism? And to what extent are the Arab League or the Union for the Mediterranean comparable models of regional integration?
Regional integration is primarily an elite-driven, government-sponsored transformation process.
However, socio-economic and political change can be triggered by civil society and social movements, as the "Arab Spring" has shown transregionally in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Change and continuity differ significantly in the MENA region. Why? And which repercussions for the Union for the Mediterranean?
4. Mediterranean Politics and Societies
Mediterranean Politics are shaped by an interplay of different policy fields and policy actors. Theories of International Relations (i.e. Foreign Policy Analysis, Migration Theories) will help to understand the dynamics of policy making towards and in the Mediterranean region. Migration constitutes a challenging and complex policy field throughout the Mediterranean.
In a second part of this module we will approach Mediterranean societies with a generational focus upon "youth". The current number of youth in the Mediterranean is unprecedented. Meanwhile, youth unemployment is a phenomenon that nearly all Mediterranean societies have in common. At the crossroads of theory and practice this module will identify solutions to the challenges the young generation faces in the Mediterranean.
5. Professional Skills Workshops
This module equips the participants with professional skills and competences that will enable them to work in the context of the European and International organisations. They will actively take part in several simulation games and follow seminars and workshops on:
- Project cycle management
- Intercultural communication
- International mediation and negotiation
- Drafting of position papers and policy recommendations
- Career workshop
“
Learning and living the Mediterranean”: this is not just a slogan! It is indeed what prospective students will end up doing when enrolling for the Mediterranean studies programme of the Master in Advanced European and International Studies at CIFE. A cluster of divers modules, spanning topical issues ranging from conflict management to environmental challenges, a lively format of lectures, students’ presentations and seminars and an international environment: these are the ingredients that make this Master a truly unique experience!
Silvia Colombo, Senior fellow at Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), Rome.
CIFE's Master programme is remarkable on several counts:
1. It is multidisciplinary, which ensures tolerance and reflection, thus avoiding the one-dimensional approach too often associated with false certainties.
2. It is open to the world, even if the European Union is more "present" than other spaces. In a context that is sometimes one of wariness of the outside world, this is a major plus.
3. Coming from varied backgrounds, students are given the opportunity to compare ideas and analyses for their mutual benefit, and they eagerly seize it!
Jean-Claude Vérez, Lecturer at the University of Artois, Director of MAEIS Mediterranean studies.