Teaching-Research-Practice Nexus: Interdisciplinary Settings in Teaching the EU

This contribution will explore teaching-research-practice nexus in teaching the EU, with a focus on its interdisciplinary setting. The changing EU faces multiple challenges in the changing world. Growing multipolarity, contested multilateralism and the return of the power politics are entwined with the challenges presented by globalisation, looming environmental and climate catastrophe as well as technological breakthroughs that may lead to technological disasters. In addition, the EU has to navigate the new media ecology marked by distinct patterns of information flows - global, horizontal, powerful and immediate. To equip students outside of the EU to understand the scale, intensity and impact of these political, economic, social and communication challenges for the EU and apply this knowledge to succeed professionally in the changing world requires a multi- and interdisciplinary approach going beyond a relatively narrow field of EU studies. Positioning its enquiry within the context of the changing nature of (international) communication, this paper explores the intersection between studies of media and communication and studies of the EU in the issue-area of public diplomacy. Informed by the collaborative diplomacy and multistakeholder diplomacy models, the paper explores innovative tools in teaching public diplomacy using the EU as a key case study targeting students of diverse disciplinary backgrounds while incorporating latest research findings in the EU’s public diplomacy research and engaging with EU and EU member states diplomatic practitioners.