ABSTRACT
An increasing number of Pew cases published by the Center of Diplomacy at Georgetown University examine issues important to Western European countries. Many of these cases can be used or modified for courses that focus on European perspectives in international studies. This chapter offers students explanations of the functioning of the European Union (EU) and its institutions, the role of individual states and domestic interests within the organization, the tensions between localism and regionalism, and the relationship of EU institutions with external actors such as the United States. Sometimes a case that illustrates US interactions with Europe can be a helpful lens to understand the European policy-making environment. European coverage usually includes both the role of various European institutions—such as the EU Commission, which drafts policy, or the EU Council of Ministers, which decides policy—and these institutions’ respective relations with various national governments and actors.
