Please note that this session experienced technical difficulties during the GA. As a result some data might be incomplete.
What Europe? The current EU structure receives critics from both ends. Some advocate for less integration and more sovereignty to be given to the Member States. Others advocate for a more towards a federal union as the path to follow. With British people voting to leave the EU and other Eurosceptic forces gaining popularity across Member States, what type of organisation shall the EU aim to be in the long run?
In an increasingly globalised world, international allies play a key role in the EU’s attempt to keep regions of the globe stable as well as in terms of trade and cooperation. However, some of these allies, such as the Russian Federation, can be said to stand by values and actions that differ from European values. How should the EU aim at managing cooperation with countries that have different core values than the ones Europe stands for?
Education in schools as the basis for developing individuals in a society: With recent evidence of high scholar failure all over Europe, and increasing critical perspectives on the philosophy behind customary occidental systems, what should be taken into account in the discussion for a fundamental reform of Member States’ education systems? How do we understand education and what role do we want it to have in society?
Dual studies are commonly seen as a German model of success: should the EU establish the combination of vocational training and university education for youth in all its Member States? How should we understand the role of the private sector in public universities?
With the BREXIT having shown how much political decisions influence currencies, financial markets and our economy as a whole as well as how much political decisions are influenced by economic powers and a capitalistic mindset, to what extent can the free market be neutral from ideology? What should the EU’s stance be towards independent free market?
Participation and public space. Taking into account the high levels of political disaffection all over Europe, and the mainstream reduction of political activity to voting, how can public spaces be used in order to foster new practices in our societies? Does the youth have a special responsibility in (re) defining public spaces?
Preserving our planet for future generations: the EU Emissions Trading System has been key in the EU’s attempt to reduce the greenhouse gases emissions amongst Member States. This market driven way of tackling emissions based in cap and trade is, however, not the only one possible solution. Should the EU consider other non-capitalistic ways of tackling carbon emissions? And if so, should these replace or complement the current cap and trade based attempts?
With the recent raise of feminist claims in public ethos, equality feminism discourses, as well as difference feminism discourses have been used in speeches and vindications in social networks. However, those feminist speeches do not generally refuse binary sexual and gender understandings of the person. Thus, some claim they do not tackle the roots of patriarchy and feminist ethnocentricity. To what extent is this new wave of feminism legitimising patriarchy? What is the official European approach towards gender and sexual identities? How should this debate evolve in the EU?
Rethinking citizenship: he Syrian refugee crisis has evidentiated the European incapacity to give asylum and guarantee Fundamental Human Rights. To what extent can we welcome refugees while we have such rights exclusively linked to national citizenship? What are the boundaries of our citizenships and to what degree do we accept them?