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The use of simulations in European Studies is becoming more widespread, given the possibilities of immersing students in complex issues and building substantive knowledge and affective understanding. We identify a number of barriers to the full realisation of this potential. Drawing on observations from various games, it is suggested that for a successful simulation there must be: learning objectives clear to all participants; alignment between those objectives, game play and assessment; and a meaningful feedback process.

The divisions emanating from the Eurozone crisis have led political realists to argue that European identity should be conceived of via "basic legitimation demand" (Williams) that prioritizes the creation of order in backward-looking, non-utopian terms. In contrast, I suggest that Europe would do better by building an ethically-constitutive "story of peoplehood" (Smith) that looks both backward and forward. I argue that the EU should build on the ideals drawn from the continent's shared past as well as its desire to retake control from the global economic forces that threaten democratic political sovereignty in the twenty-first century.

Objective To identify the factors associated with an adequate perception of body image in relation to body weight. Material and methods An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted in a representative sample of the European Union (7155 men and 8077 women). Body Mass Index (BMI) was grouped into four categories, perceived body image was assessed using the nine silhouettes drawing scheme. A multivariable logistic regression model for each sex was used to adjust for potentially confounding variables. Results Underweight men and women classi®ed themselves better than other groups (92.9% of correct answers among men and 79.3% among women). Overall, women classi®ed themselves better than men (57.6% vs. 32.7%). Discussion Perceived body image as a method of assessment for body weight has different validity depending on sociodemographic or attitudinal categories. Perceived body image as an estimate of the nutritional status has a limited individualized application. Thus, perhaps it could be applied as a proxy measure of adiposity among slim males and among slim and overweight females, but not among the other groups.

Terrorism is increasingly threatening world peace and stability, not least during the post-9/11 era. In particular, viewed from Europe's geographical proximity to areas of conflicts, terrorism is a greater menace to European continental peace, security and stability. As a natural consequence, terrorism becomes a top concern of the European Union (EU). In practice, it comes to be not merely necessary but also important to have a better and clearer idea about terrorist landscapes in Europe so that future counterterrorism will be well grounded in a faithful representation of reality. The authors, drawing upon data selected from the Global Terrorism Database (GTD), have categorised the terrorist incidents according to the different scales of casualties, provided a longitudinal overview of completed terrorism attacks from 1970 to 2015 with a special focus on the most terrorism-stricken Member States (MSs), and statistically analysed the terrorist situation within the EU and counterterrorism challenges. In doing so, authors have intention to find the ins and outs of terrorist incidents, to probe the motivations of perpetrators, and to clarify the faulty generalisations about terrorism. The article concludes that an increasingly stronger sense of nationalism is emerging, Islamic terrorism is not rising at a dramatic speed but in a more destructive way, and more importantly civilians are becoming the dominant target group of terror attacks. It is further argued that these three factors are not only the tough challenges but also top concerns of counterterrorism.

Background Hazardous and harmful alcohol use and high blood pressure are central risk factors related to premature non-communicable disease (NCD) mortality worldwide. A reduction in the prevalence of both risk factors has been suggested as a route to reach the global NCD targets. This study aims to highlight that screening and interventions for hypertension and hazardous and harmful alcohol use in primary healthcare can contribute substantially to achieving the NCD targets. Methods A consensus conference based on systematic reviews, meta-analyses, clinical guidelines, experimental studies, and statistical modelling which had been presented and discussed in five preparatory meetings, was undertaken. Specifically, we modelled changes in blood pressure distributions and potential lives saved for the five largest European countries if screening and appropriate intervention rates in primary healthcare settings were increased. Recommendations to handle alcohol-induced hypertension in primary healthcare settings were derived at the conference, and their degree of evidence was graded. Results Screening and appropriate interventions for hazardous alcohol use and use disorders could lower blood pressure levels, but there is a lack in implementing these measures in European primary healthcare. Recommendations included (1) an increase in screening for hypertension (evidence grade: high), (2) an increase in screening and brief advice on hazardous and harmful drinking for people with newly detected hypertension by physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals (evidence grade: high), (3) the conduct of clinical management of less severe alcohol use disorders for incident people with hypertension in primary healthcare (evidence grade: moderate), and (4) screening for alcohol use in hypertension that is not well controlled (evidence grade: moderate). The first three measures were estimated to result in a decreased hypertension prevalence and hundreds of saved lives annually in the examined countries. Conclusions The ...

AbstractOver the past two decades, all European societies have experienced continued and increasing migrations, albeit with very different intensities and characteristics. Our focus is on new immigrants ‐‐ those who have come from abroad in the past 15 years ‐‐ in both old and new receiving West European countries. Comparative analyses on this issue are rather weak as the literature on immigrant integration in the labour market is well‐established in the old receiving countries, but is just beginning to be developed in the newer receiving ones. The article aims at introducing the articles collected in this special issue, which present the results of a research project that concerns six European countries ‐‐ Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark. Our focus is on inequalities between immigrants and natives with respect to the risk of unemployment and to the access to highly qualified occupations. After having highlighted similarities and differences across those countries, we tried to draw some general conclusions concerning the main factors that may have shaped new immigrants' incorporation into West European labour markets. In particular, the role played by the nature of immigration and by the labour demand seems to be crucial.

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Economics from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics ; This paper investigates (i) the diversity of fuel mix for power generation in the European Union measured by the Shannon-Weiner Index (SWI) computed for the 28 member-states between 1990 and 2010, and (ii) the degree of interfuel substitution in the electricity system of eight Western European countries where liberalization and other public policies have been implemented since the 1990s. We find evidence of high concentration of fuels for power generation, with fossil fuel sources still dominating the fuel-mix in spite of concerns over energy security supply and compliance with the EU target to reduce CO2 emissions to 20% below 1990 levels by 2020. A Linear Logit Model was built to compute the elasticities of substitution between coal, natural gas and oil, accounting for electricity market liberalization and the creation of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in the Western power sector for 1990-2011. The findings suggest that natural gas has been regarded as a transition fuel to a low-carbon area, mostly at the expense of oil. Liberalization has also generated more flexibility for fuel-switching.

In several parts of the world, countries are undergoing economic, social, and political transitions, enhanced and accelerated by the forces of globalization. These transition economies can serve as laboratories for understanding the innovation process. This volume features original theoretical and empirical research. It offers the first comprehensive view of innovation system development in the context of small catching-up economies. Smallness, path dependency, and latecomer status of such economies create some inherent limitations for their innovation systems, but these special characteristics can offer advantages as well. For example, smallness is often related with increased flexibility and shorter reaction times, while latecomers can benefit from earlier experiences of their more advanced neighbors. Path-dependency highlights the fact that the innovation system development processes are considerably influenced by the past experience of a particular country or region. By incorporating these features into an integrated analysis, the authors address such questions as: What special features characterize the innovation system development in small catching-up economies? What are the causes for innovation success or failure? · How do organizational capabilities and internationalization tendencies relate to company level innovations? What is the role of human capital and social factors in the innovation process? How can various policies support innovation in an integrated manner? Drawing from research about Europe, Asia, and Latin America, the authors provide readers with a systemic view of the innovation system development in small catching-up economies. They discuss the unique features of this development and contribute to an in-depth understanding of various determinants and their impacts on the innovation process. The policy implications will offer a set of normative guidelines for enhancing innovation system development

The authors of this paper provide a critical analysis of the most prominent theoretical vehicles employed in studying differentiated integration in contemporary, post-Brexit Europe. They discuss the descriptive, explanatory, and interpretative potential of the selected theoretical
approaches that are applied at the intersection of disintegration and European differentiation discourse. "The holy grail" of the theorising of the dynamic (and accelerating) processes of (dis)integration and differentiation remains undiscovered. Nevertheless, a constant search for
theoretical explanation is needed in the in-depth analyses of the current state of the European Union.