DWA 239 European Politics
This course aims to introduce students to the history, politics, and economics of the European region from 1945 to present day. We will start by looking at the development of European states and political institutions in the post-WWII period, primarily those of Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and the Benelux countries. Our goal is to gain understanding of why European states have taken different political paths (including countries in Eastern Europe, the Nordic states, and Turkey), while also exploring the context of regional integration in which European states are embedded. The European Union (formerly the European Community) and its 28-member states are thus also central to this subject, as it encapsulates the development of key political institutions, civil society, representation, and economics on the continent. We will thus explore what has been accomplished by European integration (e.g., maintaining peace, increasing mobility, granting human rights, enhancing multilateralism, and strengthening democracy), as well as the considerable challenges that lie ahead (e.g., "Brexit", eastern enlargement, the stability of the Euro, the integration of refugees, and the rise of populist parties). In sum, the course is designed to introduce students to central topics in both past and contemporary Europe politics through the lens of political science and theories of regional integration. Situated at the intersection of comparative and international politics, these theories will help us to understand the complex interactions between national governments, supranational institutions, and the everyday lives of European citizens that define Europe today.