Jean Monnet Summer School: The EU and Hybrid Threats in the Wider Neighbourhood

Kadir Has University will be organising a Jean Monnet Summer School between 4-15 September 2023 in Istanbul-Turkey on the “European Union and Hybrid Threats in the Wider Neighbourhood”. The Module will be delivered with the support of the Jean Monnet Activities of the Erasmus+ Programme and will focus on the European Union as an international security actor in its Southern and Eastern neighbourhoods, which also surround Turkey.

Course Description

This module focuses on the EU as an international security actor in its Eastern and Southern neighbourhoods which share unstable settings challenged by various political, societal and economic issues. The security of the Union is mainly shaped through countering the hybrid threats emanating from this region, including terrorism, migration, cyber threats, maritime issues, environmental challenges; popular unrest, deep-fake, disinformation merging the conventional (such as armed-conflicts) and conventional challenges and the ways in which those challenges are countered. The first part of the module is designed to equip the students with an introductory understanding of the external competences of the EU from a historical, institutional, conceptual and thematic perspective as well as a thorough grasp of the European Neighbourhood Policy with a specific focus on its security modalities in both regions. In the second week, the students will first focus on the Euro-East, second on the Euro-South; in order to understand the opportunities and challenges for the EU in dealing with hybrid security issues in its wider neighbourhood through a more specialized approach. The aim is to bring international students, mostly from the countries of the Eastern and Southern neighbourhoods as well as from various Universities in Turkey and train them in conceptual and empirical dimensions of the subject matter.

Objectives

The objective of the course is to provide students with the analytical tools to understand the special nature of the EU’s approach towards the hybrid threats in its wider neighbourhood. The course’s main aim is to provide students with a strong understanding of the political motivations as well as the track record of the EU in dealing with hybrid threats around its neighborhood. This module aims at supporting the students in their academic work and further their research projects and ideas.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course students will, demonstrate a thorough grasp of the literature on the ENP, understand the conceptual and empirical aspects of the study of the EU’s hybrid security policies towards the wider neighbourhood, acquire a good understanding and a comparative perspective on the modalities of the two-region aspect of the neighbourhood policies, apply their knowledge of the tools of policy analysis to empirical cases of EU neighborhood relations.

Course Requirements

The students are to be present and expected to read required texts, prepare for each class, as well as prepare a reflection paper on the “challenges and the opportunities that the EU faces in dealing with one specific security issue of the EU’s neighbourhood”. Students fulfilling class requirements will be awarded with a certificate of 5 ECTS credits. The ECTS certificates as well as the transcript of grade will be posted to the students’ addresses.

Course Lecturers

The course lecturers are eminent scholars in the field, who have expertise in security, EU foreign and security policy, and the dynamics of the EU’s neighbourhood, from various Universities in Turkey. Moreover, the summer school will host Turkey’s and EU’s official representatives, diplomats and journalists as guest lecturers.

For the Module coordinator, Prof. Sinem Akgül-Açıkmeşe, Jean Monnet Chair on Hybrid Threats in the EU, please see https://jmchair.khas.edu.tr. For the core teaching team, please see https://jmchair.khas.edu.tr/summer-school/

Who Can Attend?

In order to take part in the summer module, students must:

be aged 18 or over at the time of the program start date
have a University degree in a relevant field (3rd-4th year students currently enrolled at University/College programme are also eligible on a merit basis)
provide evidence of English proficiency
Masters or PhD students are strongly encouraged to attend

Application

To apply, please fill in the application form by 27 August 2023.

Fees

Module Fee: None (tuition, course pack and coffee breaks are included)

Students will need to cover their own accommodation and travel.

Summer School Venue

Kadir Has University’s Cibali Campus (www.khas.edu.tr) is the place where history and contemporary Istanbul life are blended to create a perfect academic atmosphere. The campus is located in the heart of Istanbul, only a few minutes away both from the historical Sultanahmet Square and from Taksim which is the famous center of culture, entertainment, business, and shopping. The central location of the Campus offers our students an opportunity to stay connected to the beaming life of Istanbul.