MEDITERRANEAN POLITICS

Students will learn how to apply the analytical tools of Political Science to EU-Med Relations. They will be able to understand patterns of cooperation, regional conflicts, territorial disputes, socio-economic disparities, persistent authoritarianism or perspective trends of political change, security issues and relevant problems in the regional agenda such as migration. 

The Negotiation Lab on Mediterranean Migration Diplomacy provides students with the negotiations' techniques acquired via a hands-on exercise. This simulation activity is framed within the teaching activities of the Jean Monnet Center of Excellence DIPLOWideMed.

The Mediterranean Politics course is offered also to EUNICE students via MOOCS and/or hybrid formats. 

This teaching course relies upon a combination of traditional lectures and active learning, i.e. podcasts, presentations in class and simulation of negotiations concerning migration issues. This seminar format fosters autonomous learning, the elaboration of personal opinions and critical stances on Mediterranean Politics.
The first part of the course - lectures from November to December - relies upon compulsory readings. Students are required to read texts beforehand so to actively participate in the class debate. As a guideline for their class participation, a slide of the week's compulsory reading must be handed in before classes. Following the students' presentations/podcasts plan adopted in class, students illustrate individually or in group (2/3 presenters) the content of selected readings with the support of a ppt or prezi presentation. As an alternative, they can prepare podcasts on the topic of the week. 
The Negotiation Lab on Mediterranean Migration Diplomacy is held in January and relies upon students’ simulations and role-plays. This Negotiation Lab falls within the activities of the Jean Monnet Center of Excellence DIPLOWideMed funded by the European Union for 2025-2028.

Elementary concepts of Political Science are required to understand Mediterranean Politics: cooperation, peace, war, regional crises, democracy, political change, resilient authoritarianism, etc. 

The Master Course GLOPEM requires compulsory attendance. The Mediterranean Politics course follows GLOPEM rules. Thanks to compulsory attendance students are socialized to Political Science. 

The Negotiation Lab is a practical experience of simulation of negotiations. Success depends on active attendance.

This teaching course explores the Mediterranean area and provides the theoretical and analytical tools to explain political processes and understand critical security issues in the area.

In order to explore EU relations with the Mediterranean Neighbors, it investigates relations between regional and global actors, state and non-state actors (e.g. political parties and civil society organizations), transnational actors and International Organizations.
It focuses upon the most relevant cooperation processes in the Mediterranean area, namely EMP/UfM, ENP, democratization (or lack of), and crucial issues such as regional territorial disputes, security (maritime security in particular), migration, terrorism, energy security, etc. 

The Negotiation Lab on Mediterranean Migration Diplomacy has a hands-on nature, namely it helps understanding the complex EU decision–making process concerning migration. The European Union is often said to be distant from EU citizens. This Negotiation Lab boosts interest on the EU migration policy, by zooming into intra-EU institutional and EUMS relations or tensions. This Negotiation Lab seeks to render the decision-making process more tangible and comprehensible to students by exploring the complex negotiations among EUMS in the EU institutions and EU inter-institutional dynamics. They will explore the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, considering the different stances and roles of the EUMS and EU institutions. As final output, students will issue 'their' European Council Conclusions. 

The Mediterranean Politics subject contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals of the Agenda 2030. 
Namely, to the following goals:
GOAL 4: Quality Education https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal4

GOAL 5: Gender Equality https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal5

GOAL 10: Reduce Inequality within and among Countries  https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal10

WEEK 1: Panebianco, S. (2025), ‘The Mediterranean Neighbourhood’, in Handbook on Governance and the EU (Edward Elgar), edited by Sonia Lucarelli and James Sperling.

WEEK 2: Baldini, G., Baracani, E. and Soare S.C., (2025), The European Union in Turbulent Times: Geopolitical Context, Internal Fragilities and Different Visions of Europe, Journal of Common Market Studies, Vol. 63. Annual Review pp. 5–19 AVAILABLE OPEN ACCESS: DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jcms.70042

Keukeleire, S., Lecocq, S., (2025), Decentring European Foreign Policy Analysis: Towards a Paradigmatic Shift, Journal of Common Market Studies, 63(5), 1481-1508 AVAILABLE ONLINE: https://doi.org/10.1111/jcms.13766

WEEK 3:  Pace, M., & Bergman Rosamond, A. (2018). Political Legitimacy and Celebrity Politicians: Tony Blair as Middle East Envoy 2007–2015. Middle East Critique, 27(4), 383–398. https://doi.org/10.1080/19436149.2018.1516336

WEEK 4: Adamson, Fiona B. and Kelly M. Greenhilla (2021), Globality and Entangled Security: Rethinking the Post-1945 Order, New Global Studies, 15(2–3), 165–180 AVAILABLE IN OPEN ACCESS: https://doi.org/10.1515/ngs-2021-0006

Carney M. A., (2024), The climate-food-migration nexus: Critical perspectives, Global Food Security, 42, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2024.100786 

WEEK 5: Carrera, S., Colombi, D. and Cortinovis, R., Policing Search and Rescue NGOs in the Mediterranean, CEPS In-Depth Analysis, 2023

Cobarrubias, S. (2025), The moral geographies of migration maps: spatial order as a normative basis for border control, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 51(10), 2566-2592 AVAILABLE ONLINE: https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2025.2461348

WEEK 6: Sadiki, L., Saleh, L. (2025), Towards a Critical Democracy Promotion Agenda? Liminal Allyship in EU–Tunisian Relations, Journal of Common Market Studies, 63(5), pp. 1552-1570 AVAILABLE ONLINE: https://doi.org/10.1111/jcms.13756

WEEK 7: Negotiation Lab on Mediterranean Migration Diplomacy. 

Smeets S. & Beach D., ‘It is like déjà vu all over again’ an inside analysis of the management of EU migration reform, Journal of European Integration (2023), 45(6), 889–909 AVAILABLE ONLINE: https://doi.org/10.1080/07036337.2023.2209273

Wolff S. (2024), The New Pact on Migration: Embedded Illiberalism?, Journal of Common  Market Studies (2024), 62. Annual Review pp. 113–123 AVAILABLE ONLINE: https://doi.org/10.1111/jcms.13756

This teaching course adopts a student-centred learning approach. Therefore, students’ knowledge is assessed via a continuous evaluation of the students’ performance in their different roles: acting as podcaster, paper-presenter, negotiator, or illustrating the final essay in poster-format.  

Every week, students must provide a slide illustrating the content of the compulsory readings assigned for that week. They must show that they can apply the Political Science theoretical tools, language and approaches. Students will present in class, individually or in group, the topic of the week. Podcasts on the week's topic to be video-projected in class are mostly welcome as an alternative to presentations.

The final essay covers one of the topics addressed by the Mediterranean Politics teaching course. Students must choose 1 topic addressed during the teaching course and condense it in a poster-format.

The final evaluation will take into account: class debate, presentations, simulation and the final essays (poster-format). These tasks will be assessed as follows: participation in the class debate (20%); class presentations/podcasts (20%); simulations during the negotiation lab (30%) and the discussion of the final essay (poster-format) (30%). 

SPECIFIC INFO RE GRADES

In Italy, grades for individual courses range from 18 (minimum pass) to 30 (maximum). The highest grade may be awarded with “lode” (cum laude, distinction) for outstanding performance. The scale is not directly convertible to percentages or GPA, but it is roughly comparable to “sufficient–excellent” ranges used internationally.

Failed (0–17): The student does not demonstrate knowledge of the basic concepts of the course and/or has not completed the required share of work.

18–20 (Pass – Sufficient): The student demonstrates a basic knowledge of the topics of the course but shows significant difficulties in discussing or applying them, with limited capacity to engage critically.

21–24 (Fair – Discrete): The student demonstrates an adequate knowledge of the topics of the course and can engage with materials, cases, or discussions in a simple way, though often requiring guidance.

25–27 (Good): The student demonstrates a solid knowledge of the topics of the course and can address assignments, case analyses, or discussions independently, with only minor inaccuracies.

28–30 (Very Good – Excellent): The student demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of the topics of the course, engaging autonomously with readings, cases, and debates, and making appropriate connections across themes, with very few errors.

30 e lode (Distinction): The student demonstrates outstanding mastery of the course topics, addressing assignments and discussions with originality, critical insight, and virtually no errors.

The final essay is a condensed poster addressing one of the following sample issues: 

1. Define the Mediterranean as a region by making use of the appropriate literature.
2. Select and discuss a topical issue in the regional agenda.
3. Explain the uneven ‘winds of democratic change’ in the Mediterranean. Please provide an explanation of these uneven outcomes by referring to the existing literature on democratization and persistent authoritarianism. Use of appropriate case-studies is mostly welcome.
4. What kind of theories can explain authoritarian resilience and transition in the MENA? Identify strengths and weaknesses.
   
5. The border control-humanitarian approach divide and the Mediterranean migration crisis.
6. The role of gatekeepers in the Mediterranean migration governance. 
7. Multi-faceted security in the Mediterranean region. 
8. War and conflicts in the Middle East.

Posters must present an original argument and must rely upon Mediterranean Politics literature. Pertinent empirical examples and illustrations must be used to corroborate the main argument. Relevant literature must be used appropriately. References, either compulsory or  further readings, must include no less than 3/4 readings.

More detailed indications to prepare posters will be provided in class.