Syllabus 2025/26
The course “European values and cultural rights (Jean Monnet Module)” is composed of 20 lectures of 2 hours each, for a total of 40 hours of teaching for each edition.
The course will adopt a mixed format.
The first part of the course (lessons 1-10) will be held in the standard lecture format, while promoting the interaction (through specific questions) of the students.
The second part of the course (lessons 11-20) will be held in a participatory learning (student-centred) format (e.g.: case-studies, presentations, group works and/or moot courts). The students (under the supervision and with the guidance of the coordinator and of the invited lecturers) will be asked to apply the knowledge and understanding gained in the first part of the course in order to address and solve actual cases of conflict between the protection/promotion of European values and peculiar individual/group/national cultural identities. The proposed solutions will be discussed within the class, and the coordinator and the invited lecturers will provide insight on the way in which the actual cases were handled/solved by policymakers, Courts, institutions, and other political/legal actors.
Syllabus III edition (academic year 2025/26)
1. 9/4/2026 – 10:30-12:30 – Room 22
The concepts of “cultural identity”, “way of life”, “common values” and their relevance in legal (European and constitutional) studies: constitutional fundamental principles as a legal system’s “identity”
2. 10/4/2026 – 12:30-14:30 – Room 22
The catalogue of European fundamental values (article 2 TEU) and their relevance in the European integration process. European fundamental values as the core of the European common constitutional tradition (Part I)
3. 16/4/2026 – 10:30-12:30 – Room 22
The catalogue of European fundamental values (article 2 TEU) and their relevance in the European integration process. European fundamental values as the core of the European common constitutional tradition (Part II)
4. 17/4/2026 – 12:30-14:30 – Room 22
Cultural pluralism as a fundamental principle of the European common constitutional tradition. The respect of diverse individual/group/national cultural identities in the EU legal system
5. 23/4/2026 – 10:30-12:30 – Room 22
Cultural rights in supranational/constitutional law and their link to the protection of cultural identities
6. 24/4/2026 – 10:30-12:30 – Room 22
The cultural defence as a legal instrument to protect individual/group/national peculiar cultures: the cultural defence of individuals and the cultural defence of States
7. 30/4/2026 – 10:30-12:30 – Room 22
The first challenge to European values: immigration and multiculturalism and the rejection of European values by the so-called “new minorities”
8. 7/5/2026 – 14:00-18:30 – Aula seminari via Conservatorio
Conference. Liberal democratic fundamental values and the rise of populism: the return of national identities?
9. 8/5/2026 – 12:30-14:30 – Room 22
The second challenge to European values: nationalism, populism, euro-scepticism and the rejection of European values by the Governments of EU member States (including the so-called “constitutional identity defence”)
10. 14/5/2026 – 10:30-12:30 – Room 22
The third challenge to European values: “peace” as a fundamental value of European integration and the criticism of the “European/Western way of life” by third countries
11. 15/5/2026 – 12:30-14:30 – Room 22
Participatory learning – Debate. Cultural rights vs. European values: public security, gender equality and women rights. Polygamy, the kirpan, the religious use of drugs.
12. 21/5/2026 – 10:30-12:30 – Room 22
Participatory learning – Seminar. Cultural rights vs. European values: freedom, gender equality and the rights of women. The case of the Islamic veil
Prof. Claudia Bianca Ceffa (University of Pavia)
13. 22/5/2026 – 12:30-14:30 – Room 22
Participatory learning – Seminar. Cultural rights vs. European values: public school, religion and new minorities
14. 28/5/2026 – 10:30-12:30 – Room 22
Participatory learning – Seminar. Cultural rights vs. European values: the United Kingdom’s “relativist” integration model: Islamic minorities and the case of the Sharia Councils
15. 29/5/2026 – 12:30-14:30 – Room 22
Participatory learning – Debate. Cultural rights vs European values/National cultural identities: the case of culturally oriented citizenship tests (e.g.: in Germany, in the Netherlands)
16a. 4/6/2026 – 10:30-12:30 – Room 22
Participatory learning – Group works.
16b. 5/6/2026 – 12:30-14:30 – Room 22
Participatory learning – Group works.
17. 11/6/2026 – 10:30-12:30 – Room 22
Participatory learning – Seminar. National cultural identities vs. European values: democracy, human rights, the rule of law. The cases of Hungary and Poland
18. 12/6/2026 – 12:30-14:30 – Room 22
Didattica partecipata – Seminario. Identità culturali nazionali vs. multiculturalismo e globalizzazione. I casi delle moschee e della protezione dell’identità tradizionale dei centri storici
19. 18/6/2026 – 10:30-12:30 – Room 22
Participatory learning – Debate. Cultural rights vs. European values: human dignity, freedom, gender equality and the right to bodily integrity (e.g.: the cases of female genital mutilation; circumcision; ritual modifications of the human body; blood transfusions)
20. 19/6/2026 – 12:30-14:30 – Room 22
Participatory learning – Debate. National cultural identities vs. European values: gender equality, human rights, the rights of non traditional families and LGBTQI+ minorities (e.g.: the cases of Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland and France)