Simon Sweeney is an English author and lecturer in international political economy and business based at the University of York.
Simon Sweeney (PhD, Leeds) is Senior Lecturer in International Political Economy and Business at the York Management School, University of York where he is also Director of Postgraduate Programmes. He was formerly at Sheffield Business School, Sheffield Hallam University, and York St. John University.
Sweeney's writing includes work in different disciplines. He has written a politics text book for Longman, 'Europe, the State and Globalisation', as well as chapters in edited collections. He has also worked as both an author and co-author, producing text books in English language teaching, with a particular interest in communication skills for adult learners working in business and professional environments. These include works on management, marketing and finance for business management students and professionals.
On 12 January 2013 a letter from Sweeney was published by the Guardian newspaper containing thought-provoking data relating to benefits arising from the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union, and the former European Communities, constituting an ingredient for debate over the forthcoming referendum on the nature of Britain's membership of the EU. This letter was subsequently quoted in a speech by Olli Rehn, then Vice-President of the European Commission.
He has written reports on the internationalisation of higher education, especially in relation to the European Higher Education Area and the Bologna Process. These reports are available from the Higher Education Academy.
Between 2006-13 Simon Sweeney was one of 14 UK Bologna Experts. The Bologna Process aims to create the European Higher Education Area by making academic degree standards and quality assurance standards more comparable and compatible throughout Europe.
He obtained his PhD at the University of Leeds, with a thesis on 'EU Common Security and Defence Policy: Power, bureaucratic politics and Grand Strategy'. He has longstanding research interests in the European Union and the integration process, including the European Single Market.
He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, with specialist expertise in the internationalisation of higher education, internationalisation strategy, and the Bologna Process. He is available for consultancy work in these areas.
2006 National Teaching Fellowship (Higher Education Academy)
2006–13 UK Bologna Expert (UK Socrates Erasmus Council and British Council, European Commission-funded)
2008–09 Sounds Good JISC-funded audio feedback project led by Bob Rotheram at Leeds Metropolitan University (with Newman University College and Northampton University)
2007–09 C4C CETL Team Fellowship – Project Leader Enabling e-Learning: creativity in Virtual Space (EEL) External partners: National Association of Writers in Education, Wimba Educational Software.
1997–2004: English365 initiator, partner, and co-author of 3-level professional/business English course, English365, Cambridge University Press
1995–2001 Jean Monnet Scholar; Jean Monnet Project EC-funded Module development contributing to teaching and learning about European integration; three modules.
1995–98 Partner in international European Commission-funded Socrates Lingua Project: Handbook of Courses for Teachers of Modern Foreign Languages
1998–2000 Partner in international European Commission-funded Socrates Lingua Project: Using ICT in Foreign Language Teaching
Publications and Conference Papers
Sweeney, S. (2005) Europe, the State and Globalisation, Longman.
Sweeney, S. (2007) ‘Post-9/11 disorder and the European response: the values of international society’, in Bleitter, U. et al., (Eds) The New Europe at the Crossroads, New York: Peter Lang Publishing.
Sweeney, S. (2007) ‘Globalisation, multiple threats and the weakness of international institutions: a community-centred response’ in Clay, C, Madden, M. and Potts L. (Eds) Towards Understanding Community: People and Places. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Sweeney, S (2009) ‘European integration and the construction of purpose: building partnerships for the global good’ Actas del IX Congreso ‘Cultura Europea’ Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona.
Sweeney, S. (2002) ‘Nation states and globalisation: a case of acquiescence, not powerlessness’, Translating Class, Altering Hospitality, CentreCATH University of Leeds.
Sweeney, S. (2003) ‘Powerlessness or acquiescence? Nation states and the response to the political project of globalisation’ UACES Annual Conference, University of Newcastle, January.
Sweeney, S. (2005) ‘Post-9/11 disorder and the European response: the values of international society’, Multiculturalism: The New Europe, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, 26–29 July.
Sweeney, S. (2006) ‘Post Iraq: the evolution of ESDP’, Future of Social Democracy, University of Sheffield, June.
Sweeney, S. (2006) ‘European Security and Defence Policy and the Challenges facing the European Arms Industry’, The New Europe at the Crossroads X, Berlin, 2–5 July.
Sweeney, S. (2006) ‘Narrative, history and memory’ Memoria, Historia, Amnesia: the afterlife of memory, CentreCATH, University of Leeds, July.
Sweeney, S. (2006) ‘Changes in the international environment after 9/11: the importance of multilateralism’. Address to UNICEF Japan Committee, Tokyo, 14 November.
Sweeney, S. (2007) ‘La Evolución de la Política Europea de la Seguridad y la Defensa después de la Guerra en Irak 2003’ ITESO Universidad de Guadalajara MX 8 April.
Sweeney, S. (2007) ‘The Evolution of European Security and Defence Policy post-Iraq 2003: straw, sticks or bricks?’ Political Studies Association Annual Conference, University of Bath, 11–13 April.
Sweeney, S. (2007) ‘European integration after 50 years: a project in search of a vision’, The New Europe at the Crossroads XI, York St John University, York, 15–18 July.
Sweeney, S. (2007) ‘European integration and the construction of purpose: building partnerships for the global good’ at IX Congreso ‘Cultura Europea’ Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona. 23–25 October.
Sweeney, S. (2008) 'Industrial incapacity: the lack of an integrated defence industry is a barrier to an effective ESDP' Political Studies Association Annual Conference, Swansea University, 1–3 April.
Sweeney, S. (2008) ‘European integration after 50 years: a project in search of a vision’ Town & Gown Lecture, York St John University, 18 June.
Sweeney, S. (2008) ‘Understanding democracy: defending peace, justice and human rights’ Keynote lecture/workshop at XIV International Symposium on Education for Peace, Justice & Human Rights, ITESO Universidad Jesuita de Guadalajara, Mexico. 6–14 September.
Sweeney, S. (2008) 'The European Union: How does it work?' (Book review) Journal of Common Market Studies 46 (4) 930.
Sweeney, S. (2009) 'European Security and Defence Policy: the evidence from missions that ESDP is gaining substance, or not?' Political Studies Association Annual Conference. University of Manchester, 7–9 April.
Sweeney, S. (2009) ‘Case Studies in Electronic Feedback’ HEA-C-SAP conference The Virtual University? Social Science Critiques of Learning and Teaching in the Age of Digital Reproduction. London.
Sweeney, S. (2009) ‘ESDP: a transition from civilian to military power or merely another postmodern instrument in search of perpetual peace?’ Repertoires of Violence: multidisciplinary analyses of the representation of peace and conflict’ York St John University. 1–2
Sweeney, S. (2009) ‘Internationalisation and the use of electronic media in teaching and assessment: live webinars and audio feedback, some apparent benefits and drawbacks’ Enhancing e-Learning in the Social Sciences. C-SAP On-line Journal. HEA. July.
Sweeney, S. (2010) ‘Analysing European Security and Defence Policy: not much defence and little security, so what is it?’ PSA Annual Conference, Edinburgh, 21 April
Sweeney, S. (2010) ‘Where’s Europe going? Lessons from CSDP’ Europe at the Crossroads XIV, Vienna
Sweeney, S. (2010) ‘Bologna Process: responding to the post-2010 challenge’ Higher Education Academy, York
Sweeney, S. (2011) 'Common Security & Defence Policy: is the EU's cup half full or half empty?' Political Studies Association Annual Conference, Hammersmith, London. April.
Sweeney, S. (2011) 'European Union as Peacekeeper: EUFOR Althea in Bosnia Herzegovina – Europeanization in Practice?' Europe at the Crossroads XV, Dublin. 1–4 July.
Sweeney, S. (2011) 'Reconstructing Spain: cultural heritage and memory after civil war' (Book review) International Journal of Heritage Studies, 17(6) 629–631.
Sweeney, S. (2012) 'European Union as Peacekeeper: EUFOR Althea in Bosnia Herzegovina – Europeanization in Practice?' Political Studies Association Annual Conference. Belfast. 3–5 April.
Wickham, M., Dunn, A., & Sweeney, S. (2012) 'Analysis of the leading tourism journals 1999–2008' Annals of Tourism Research, 39(3) 1714–18
Sweeney, S. (2012) 'Common Security and Defence Policy Legitimacy and Process: to What Extent is EUFOR Althea Supported by Due Political Process and is the Mission Fit-for-purpose?' UACES Annual Conference. Passau, Germany. 3–5 September.
Sweeney, S. (2012) 'Going Mobile: Internationalisation, Mobility and the European Higher Education Area' Higher Education Authority/British Council.
Sweeney, S. (2013) ‘Emergence and coexistence: European and member state strategic cultures, co-operation or competition?’ UACES CRN Workshop on CSDP and Strategy. Guildford: University of Surrey, 1 February.
Sweeney, S. (2013) ‘Common Security and Defence Policy After Lisbon: executivisation marginalising foreign policy’ PSA Annual Conference, Cardiff. 25–27 March.
Sweeney, S. (2013) ‘Legitimacy and the EU Common Security and Defence Policy: the credibility gap between rhetoric and results’ EUSA Annual Conference, Baltimore, Maryland. 9–11 May.
Sweeney, S. (2013) ‘The Evolution of an EU ‘institution’: Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP)’ CEGBI/CSWL Annual Conference, York Management School, University of York 13–14 June
Sweeney, S. (2013) 'Emergent strategic culture and coexistence: can a CSDP based on lowest common denominator agreement be strategic?' UACES Annual Conference, Exchanging Ideas on Europe, University of Leeds 2–4 September.
Sweeney, S. (2013) 'Making European Monetary Union' (Book Review) International Affairs, 89(3), 763–4.
Sweeney, S. (2013) ‘Emergent strategic culture and coexistence: can a CSDP based on lowest common denominator agreement be strategic?’ UACES Annual Conference, Exchanging Ideas on Europe, University of Leeds 2–4 September.
Sweeney, S. (2014) CSDP and bureaucratic politics: the apparent submergence of strategy and the implications for defence policy integration UACES CRN Workshop University of Maastricht, 30 January.
Sweeney, S. (2014) ‘The EU and security: anxiety-austerity and the absence of Grand Strategy – a bureaucratic explanation of Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP)’ Politics in Times of Anxiety 9–11 June. University of Manchester.
Sweeney, S. (2014) ‘Bureaucratic politics: explaining the Common Security and Defence Policy of the European Union’ CEGBI Summer Conference 30 June – 1 July York Management School, York
Sweeney, S. (2014) ‘Explaining EU Common Security and Defence Policy since St Malo: bureaucratic politics and the lack of Grand Strategy’ UACES Annual Conference. University College Cork, Ireland. 1–3 September.
Sweeney, S. (2015)'More rhetoric or substance at last: The European Council’s capability promise and the future of CSDP, a potential ‘tipping point’?' UACES CRN Workshop. Egmont Institute, Brussels. 23 January.
Sweeney, S. (2015) 'Common Security and Defence Policy: the permanence of bureaucratic politics in EU security dynamics' PSA Annual Conference University of Sheffield. 30 March-1 April.
Sweeney, S. (2015)'Engaging international students in content contribution to the teaching and learning process' Association of Business Schools Learning and Teaching Conference, York. 28 April.
Sweeney, S. (2015) 'Bureaucratic incrementalism versus Grand Strategy: Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and the triumph of modest achievement over substance' British International Studies Association Conference, London. 16 June.
Sweeney, S. (2015) 'Analysing the impact of CSDP in the Western Balkans: EU strategic success or bureaucratic politics?' UACES Annual Conference, Bilbao. 7–9 September.
