View Specification DocumentConstitutionalism and the European Union LAW4174
- Academic Session: 2026-27
- School: School of Law
- Credits: 20
- Level: Level 4 (SCQF level 10)
- Typically Offered: Semester 1
- Available to Visiting Students: Yes
- Collaborative Online International Learning: No
- Curriculum For Life: No
Short Description
This course will introduce students to various debates and disputes regarding the constitutional nature of the European Union, and the ways in which constitutionalism in the Member States and in the EU continue to mutually shape, influence, and irritate each other. Particular attention will be paid to the impact of democratic backsliding and the "rule of law crisis" on the EU.
Timetable
There will be 10 x 2-hour seminars spread throughout semester 1.
Requirements of Entry
This course is only available to LLB students.
Excluded Courses
none
Co-requisites
None
Assessment
Coursework consists of one 4000-word essay.
Course Aims
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the EU as an example of constitutionalism beyond the state, and to enable them to discuss the prospects and limitations of the EU's constitutional nature, especially in the face of 'democratic backsliding' in its Member States.
Intended Learning Outcomes of Course
By the end of this course students will be able to:
1. Explain how the idea of constitutionalism has gained traction in a non-state environment like the EU and debate the suitability of constitutional vocabulary to describe the evolution of the EU,
2. Critically appraise the ways in which constitutional diversity and constitutional pluralism both constitute and constrain the authority of the European Union,
3. Critically discuss the impact of EU membership on national understandings of constitutionalism,
4. Explain the impact of democratic backsliding and the "rule of law crisis" on EU constitutionalism, and critically appraise the potential and limits of EU influence on constitutional developments in the Member States.