International graduate conference: United We Stand?

The EU, its current challenges and the way forward

The international graduate conference organized by the Department of Business and Politics and the Jean Monnet Center of Excellence of the Copenhagen Business School and by the European Commission Representation in Denmark is an opportunity for graduate students to present their ongoing research on the EU to other graduate students and faculty members of the Copenhagen Business School and other universities.

The EU has been in a zone of turbulence since 2008. While this period started with an international financial crisis which evolved in a crisis of sovereign debts for some European member states, the Arab Spring added political pressure on the Europolity pointing out its lack of unity in its foreign and security policy. The new institutions dealing with external relations passed their first test, maybe not as successfully as some would have hoped, while internally, some member states tried to reintroduce border controls against the letter of the Schengen Agreements. Euroscepticism and nationalism continue to grow not only among the EU citizens but also at the level of the governments of some member states. The Treaty of Lisbon, which had been ratified after so many efforts and so much time, is already considered insufficient and member states are considering revising it. Some already say that the European integration project could be experiencing the most important period of crisis ever since it was initiated after World War II, probably because several crises occur at the same time. How does the EU cope with them? What are its capacities to answer these challenges which are political and economic on the one hand, but also internal and external on the other hand? Is the EU’s system of governance adaptable enough? Will these challenges show the limits of the European integration project or will they boost it?

This graduate conference wishes to gather young researchers for a two day conference during which they will present their research. The conference targets in particular papers on one of the 5 following issues:

1. The EU’s external relations (relations with BRICS countries; contribution to democratization; military and diplomatic capacity),

2. The EU’s system of governance (in particular the new institutional settings: high representative, external action service, president; new policy areas; the balance of institutional power under the Treaty of Lisbon; the European Parliament’s new powers; democracy in the EU),

3. The political economy of the EU and the issue of economic governance,

4. Identity issues (euroscepticism; political linkage between the EU and its citizens; multilingualism policy and language issues),

5. Demography (migration within the EU, from external countries, Schengen and fundamental freedoms)

Co-authored papers are welcome. There is no registration fee. The organizers will be able to cover the cost of accommodation (maximum. 2 nights) for a maximum of 5 paper givers who are not resident in Denmark. Should you wish to ask for the cost of your accommodation to be covered, please e-mail a short application (1 page) to the organizers.

A competition for the best paper will be organized. To take part in the competition, paper givers must send a complete manuscript (maximum length: 8000 words including references).

Deadline to submit a paper proposal: 15 April 2012. Submit an abstract up to 500 words to the organizers.

Decisions on the acceptance of the abstracts will be communicated by 25 April 2012.

Deadline to submit the full paper, once your paper proposal is accepted: 1 June 2012.

Language of the conference: English.

Contact details of the organizers: Magali Gravier (mg.dbp@cbs.dk) & Manuele Citi (mc.dbp@cbs.dk).'