MASSOLIT - The Creation of the European Union

This video lecture, presented by Dr Simon Usherwood (University of Surrey) as part of the MASSOLIT course "The UK and the European Union", examines the creation of the institutional foundations of the European Union after the Second World War. It focuses on the political, economic and international factors that opened a window for European integration, including post-war reconstruction, the desire for enduring peace, and the Cold War context.

The module situates the EU's formation within three converging impulses and introduces analytical frameworks useful for understanding the EU's structure, such as intergovernmentalism and supranationalism. The wider course also considers the impact of EU membership on UK political life and the complexities behind Brexit, using historical and institutional perspectives to explain contemporary developments.

This lecture is curriculum-linked and intended for GCSE, A Level and IB students (and their teachers). The content is presented as a high-quality, curriculum-aligned video resource hosted by MASSOLIT; full access requires an account on the MASSOLIT site.