EUCE Themes

 

The EU Center of Excellence brings together and fosters the deep reserves of specialized knowledge of the European Union at the UW-Madison.

Three themes serve to organize a series of activities intended to raise awareness of the transformation of the European Union among various audiences within the U.S. while also facilitating partnerships with European universities, scholars and legislative bodies:

(i) Transatlantic Governance in the New Global Order

This theme addresses the central importance of transatlantic relations and the significant role that the EU plays as a key actor in confronting global governance challenges.
Specific topics include:

(ii) The New Architecture of EU Governance

This theme addresses new forms of governance and policy learning in the EU, including the Open Method of Coordination (OMC), which consists of policy coordination processes based on benchmarking national progress towards common European objectives and organized mutual learning in an iterative multi-year cycle.
Specific components include:

(iii) Europe’s Expanding Social Dimension

This theme explores the practical impact of expansion on the Member States, and draws out potential lessons for policy and practice in the US and elsewhere.
The theme’s five components include:

  • Europeanization and the Reform of National Welfare States (led by Jonathan Zeitlin)
  • EU Gender Mainstreaming as a Policy Instrument for Equality (led by Myra Marx Ferree)
  • Public Health and Comparative Health Policy: A Transatlantic Dialogue (led by Louise Trubek)
  • Consumerism and Environmentalism in the Expanding European Union (led by Elizabeth Covington)
  • Transportation and Environmental Sustainability in the EU: Lessons for the US (led by Joel Rogers)