Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description

CODE EST2180

 
TITLE The Political and Economic Theories of Small States

 
UM LEVEL 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL Not Applicable

 
ECTS CREDITS 2

 
DEPARTMENT European Studies

 
DESCRIPTION The first part of the course, EST 2180 covers a number of political and economic theories regarding small states, small states in international affairs and small states in the European Union. Students may choose to follow this first part of the course and obtain 2 credits. Those following the whole course i.e. EST 2020 will, in addition to the material comprising the first part (EST2180) will also cover a number of case studies as indicated below.

Method of Assessment: 2 hour written test held at the end of the semester during test week. The test paper will consist of questions set in Section 1 and Section 2. Section 1 will consist of questions with respect to EST 2180 and students following this course will answer one question only from this section and the test's duration will be 1 hour. Students registered for EST 2020 will answer questions from Sections 1 & 2 and the duration of the test will be of 2 hours.

The course focuses on small states making due reference to small states in the European Union. An effort is made to shift some of the focus of attention away from the participation of small states in the decision-making institutions though this aspect is not neglected, and more towards the special economic, political and social challenges of small states and how they attempt to address these, including those which can and have sought EU membership. After the initial theoretical discussion, the focus shifts to the European Union and the role of small states in the EU. To illustrate the theories discussed, a number of case studies are also analysed involving small EU member states as well as Iceland which is not an EU member state but forms part of the European Economic Area (EEA). Iceland is used as model of a small country outside the EU for comparative analysis involving small states in the EU.

Students who fail to attend a number of lectures without sufficient reason shall be deemed to have left the course and may not be allowed to sit for the assessment test.

For those students who registered for EST2020 and EST2180
Topics to be covered

1. Defining states: Large, Medium, micro and small states
2. The economic characteristics of small states
3. Small states in international relations
4. Foreign and domestic politics in small states
5. Security implications of smallness
6. Vulnerability
7. Alliance, neutrality or non-alignment
8. Small states and the EU
9. Small states in the institutions of the EU and institutional change

For those registered to read EST 2020
10. Case studies
10.1 Cyprus
10.2 Luxembourg
10.3 Iceland
10.4 Slovenia

Students are urged to read the first textbooks indicated below (shaded area) in addition to other reading material that will be suggested from time to time. The literature listed below constitutes essential reading as well. On the web-site of the Commonwealth Secretariat students can locate material on small states which is relevant to the discussion. Information regarding the case studies, which will be analysed in this course is to be found in the government homepages of the countries indicated above.

Selected Texts

1 Christine Ingebritsen, Iver Neumann, Sieglinde Gstohl and Jessica Beyer (ed) (2006), Small States in International Relations, University of Washington Press (Seattle), University of Iceland Press Reykjavik ISBN 0-295-98524-0, (2006);
2 Handel, Michael "Weak States in the International System", Frank Cass, 1990, ISBN 0 7146 4073;
3 Hey Jeanne A. K. (ed) Small States in World Politics: Explaining Foreign Policy Behaviour, Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2003, ISBN 1-55587-943-8

Other Useful texts

1. Pace Roderick, "Malta and EU Membership: Overcoming 'Vulnerabilities', Strengthening 'Resilience'" European Integration, Vol. 28, No. 1, 33-49, March 2006;
2. Briguglio Lino and Kisanga Eliawony (eds), Economic Vulnerability and Resilience of Small States, Commonwealth Secretariat, London, 2004, ISBN 99909-49-22-0
3. Thorhallsson Baldur, Iceland and European Integration, Routledge, 2004, ISBN 0-415-28252-7
4. Stefanou Constantin, Cyprus and the EU: The Road to Accession, Ashgate, 2005, ISBN 0-7546-2118-9
5. Bauwens, Werner; Clesse, Armand and Knudsen Olav F. (eds.), "Small States and the Security Challenge in the New Europe", Brassey's, 1996, ISBN 1-85753-153-1;
6. "A Future for Small States: Overcoming Vulnerability", Report by a Commonwealth Advisory Group, Commonwealth Secretariat, August 1997;
7. Pace, Roderick "Microstate Security in the Global System", Midsea Books, 2001;
8. Thorhallsson, Baldur, "The Role of Small State in the EU", Ashgate, 2000;
9. Pace, Roderick, "Small States and the Internal Balance of the European Union - The Perspective of Small States";

Manners, Ian, "Small States and the Internal Balance of the European Union: Institutional Issues";
Both chapters can be read in Gower Jackie and Redmond John (eds.), "Enlarging the European Union: The Way Forward", Ashgate Publishers, 2000;

10. Worsely, Peter and Kitromilides, Paschalis, "Small States in the Modern World: The Conditions of Survival", SOGEK, Cyprus, 1989 (reprint);
11. "Islands and Small States: Issues and Policies", World Development, Special Issue, 21, No 2, February 1993;
12. Kaminarides, John; Briguglio, Lino and Hoogendonk, H. N. (eds.), "The Economic Development of Small Countries: Problems, Strategies and Policies", Eburon Publishers, Delft, The Netherlands, 1989;
13. Shou, August and Bruntland Arne, Olav (eds.), "Small States in International Relations", Nobel Symposium, John Wiley and Sons, 1971;
14. Clarke, Colin and Payne Tony (eds.), "Politics, Security and Development in Small States" Allen and Unwin, 1987;
15. Prachowny, Martin F. J., "Macroeconomic Analysis for Small Open Economies", Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1984;
16. Katzenstein, Peter J., "Small States in World Markets: Industrial Policy in Europe", Cornell University Press, 1985;
17. Demas, William G., "The Economics of Development in Small Countries With Special Reference to the Caribbean", McGill University Press, 1965;
18. Vital, David "The Inequality of States: A Study of the Small Power in International Relations", Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1967;
19. Vital, David "The Survival of Small States: Studies in Small Power / Great Power Conflict", Oxford University Press, 1971;
20. Baker Fox, Annette "The Power of Small States: Diplomacy in World War II", The University of Chicago Press, second impression, 1967;
21. Rothstein, Robert L., "Alliances and Small Powers", Columbia University Press, 1968;
22. Rothstein, Robert L., "The Weak in the World of the Strong", Columbia University Press, 1977;


UNIVERSITY OF MALTA - EUROPEAN DOCUMENTATION AND RESEARCH CENTRE

Useful web pages

- World Bank Web page for small states : http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/html/smallstates.nsf?OpenDatabase
- Islands and Small States Institute University of Malta : http://home.um.edu.mt/islands/
- European Islands System of Links and Exchanges (EURISLES) : http://www.eurisles.com/
- Small Islands Developing States Network (SIDS) : http://www.sidsnet.org/
- Pacific Islands Forum : http://www.sidsnet.org/pacific/forumsec/
- Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) : http://www.sidsnet.org/aosis/
- CENTRE FOR SMALL STATES STUDIES - UNIVERSITY OF ICELAND : http://www.hi.is/page/smarikjasetrid

 
RULES/CONDITIONS In TAKING THIS UNIT YOU CANNOT TAKE EST2020

 
ADDITIONAL NOTES Students are to register for either EST2020 or EST2180 but not both. Those registered to do EST2180 will take the Part I of EST2020, the theoretical part, and will be assessed on it.

Students are required to register for Level 1 units if they are in Year 1, for Level 2 units if they are in Year 2 and for Level 3 units if they are in Year 3 or 4 of their course.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Examination (1 Hour) Yes 100%

 
LECTURER/S Roderick Pace

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

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