The aim of this course is to provide an in-depth introduction and overview of the history and politics of the European Union from its inception to continuous development under the 2009 Treaty of Lisbon and the post-Brexit era. The course is organized into three main parts. Part one traces the evolution of European integration with a special focus on the fundamental debates about the nature and scope of European unification and its character as both a political and economic project.  Part two examines the EU’s institutions, decision-making processes and the scope and content of EU law and policy through the evolution of its treaties over the past seven decades of its history. After gaining deeper knowledge of the historical background of the EU and the nuts and bolts of what the EU is and how it works, Part three explores the extent to which the growing supranational and transnational nature of the EU challenges traditional concepts of domestic politics (citizenship, sovereignty, democracy) as well as foreign policy and international relations.  This part of the course will also draw on the concepts of globalization and Europeanization inviting students to think comparatively and critically as they consider French and European politics and society in global perspective and in contrast to their own cultural and national backgrounds. Additionally, the course examines contemporary debates and policy challenges within the European Union such as the rise of Euroscepticism, democratic backsliding and the consequences of “Brexit” and the war in Ukraine. Finally, the course compares the EU with the United States as a model of democracy and political economy as well as a global actor and a diplomatic force in world politics. Overall, the course offers a dynamic learning experience that provides both traditional lectures with discussion-oriented classes complemented by field trips, film screenings, and visits to museums and historical sites.