The course

The course “European values and cultural rights (Jean Monnet Module)” (Prof. Giovanni Cavaggion), 40 ore / 6 ECTS, has been activated at the Faculty of Political, Economic and Social Sciences of the University of Milan.

The course’s aim is to provide students with an advanced knowledge and understanding of the legal constitutional issues connected to the protection and promotion of European values (defined as the fundamental principles of the European common constitutional tradition), with particular regard to their interaction with the legal instruments that protect specific (national, group or individual) cultural identities. 

The course will focus, in particular, on three great challenges that European values (and European integration) are facing and will be facing in the decades to come:

• The rejection of European values by “new minorities” in the multicultural society (e.g.: religious symbols such as the face veil or the kirpan, “honor crimes”, polygamy, etc.)
• The rejection of European values by some member States of the Union (e.g.: respect of democracy and the rule of law, gender equality, solidarity between member States, etc.)
• The rejection of European values (and, in particular, of the value of “peace”) by third States

The teaching method will be mixed, combining standard lectures with form of participatory learning (e.g.: case-studies, presentations, group works and/or moot courts), with the participation of national and international guests.

Classes will take place on Thursdays (10:30 – 12:30) and Fridays (12:30 – 14:30), Room 22, Faculty of Political, Economic and Social Sciences.

The course is a Jean Monnet Module, activated with the support of the European Union – European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), within the framework of the Erasmus+ programme.

The course can be selected by students at the University of Milan as an “elective course“.

Prospective students can enrol by sending an e-mail to the teacher (giovanni.cavaggion@unimi.it), and they can add the course in their study plan in the first window for study plans amendments.

Additional information is available on the dedicated page on University of Milano website.