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MAIN > ACADEMICS > UNDERGRADUATE > EUROPEAN STUDIES > COURSES |
PROGRAM CHAIR | COURSESSuggested Order of Study
Introduction to European Studies 3 cr
European history 3 cr
Sophomores
European Integration 3 cr
European literature 3 cr
Juniors
Multicultural societies: religious and social conflicts in Europe 3 cr
European law 3 cr
Senior thesis seminar I 3 cr
Senior thesis seminar II 3 cr
Required Courses
ES 100 Introduction to European Studies 3 credits The course is designed to give first-year students an introduction toEuropeas well as to the European Union. While the first half of the course is devoted to the intellectual history ofEurope, the second half provides a survey of the history of the EU and European institutions. Students learn to critically discuss the cultural and political identities ofEurope. ES 101 European History 3 credits What is European history? One can approach the European history as merely event history focusing more on chronology, change, continuity, causation and sense of historical periods. Another perspective is to focus more on the concept of history associated with the study of the European history as a history of the European mythos. This course seeks to apply both perspectives and focus on the major historical events that had a formative impact on the European continent as well as on the intellectual history of the European idea.
ES 102 European Government Systems 3 credits All member states of the European Union share common democratic institutions, procedures and values, but they differ with regard to the types of their governmental systems. Indeed, the member- states of the EU have four different types of democratic governments: parliamentary, presidential, semi-presidential and constitutional parliamentary monarchy. All these types differ in their distinctive patterns of executive-legislative relations and political participation, and in terms of their political and economical performance. Against this background this course seeks to give the students a comprehensive overview of major European governments. Through comparative analyses the course explores the main features of each type of governmental system listed above and analyzes it in terms of its political and economic performance. To make the comparative analysis more distinctive the Russian Federationas a model of authoritarian government is also included. Thus, the course seeks to confront the advantages of democracy with the disadvantages of authoritarian government. 3 credits The objective of the course is to develop skills in reading and pronunciation, basics using modern textbooks, audio and video materials. The class lays the foundation of grammar and introduce the vocabulary for everyday communication.
GER 120.1 German for Beginners 2 3 credits Prerequisite: GER 110.1 The objective of the course is to improve skills in reading and speaking and to develop students’ grammar skills on the basic of main morphological and syntactical structures in communicative situations.
ES 200 European Literature 3 credits The course focuses on themes and topics central to European literature. The first half of the course treats a literary myth (e.g. Antigone, Faust) under such aspects as common features and national variants. The second half focuses on the literary treatment of a central European experience (e.g. war, class structure). Students arrive at a critical appreciation of the interaction between a common European heritage and national experience.
ES 201 European Geography 3 credits Economic and geographical characteristics of the European Union are the basis of a complex analysis of the modern economic development of the countries. On the basis of the systemic study of nature resources utilization, population settlement, structure of the European Union economy and external relations, students are offered a modern picture of international integration links and cooperation of the countries all over the world. The complex characteristics of the economic development are preceded by the analysis of the modern world, taking into account modern groupings and types of countries. The analysis of natural resources presupposes the evaluation of types, general stocks and characteristics of strategically useful resources. The population is characterized as the main production force of the society and the main consumer of produced products. An emphasis is the analysis of the notion of “European economy,” within which a model of the world economy and types of world economy are considered. ES 202: Introduction to European Economics This course covers topics in European Economic History and focuses on the causes of economic development in Europe, and the economic forces shaping social institutions in various periods. The topics of the course range from the economy of early modern Europe, with particular attention paid to the institutional setting that supported growth, to the Industrial Revolution in Britain, and its social impact, and finally to the emergence of an international economy. The course aims to provide both an historical perspective and an opportunity to apply current economic analysis to these questions. ER 210.1 German for Intermediates 1 3 credits Prerequisite: GER 120.1 The objective of the course is to improve speaking and listening comprehension skills by using authentic conversational material. The students will learn more about the culture ofGermanyas well.
GER 220.1 German for Intermediates 2 3 credits Prerequisite: GER 210.1 The course deals with grammatical and lexical issues of the German language. At this stage students can freely communicate on various topics. They analyze various texts aboutGermanyand compose essays. ES 300 European Integration ES 301: Introduction to European Law This course tries to add a legal dimension to the previous courses on European Integration and European Government Systems. It focuses on the institutions involved in the European integration process including the role of the member states. The main topics which will be covered and therefore are divided into the structure and differences between supranational and intergovernmental pillars, the institutions of the European Union and decision- and legislation making procedure, the legal protection system and the legal principles governing the EC law application in form of direct effect, indirect effect and state liability. At the same time, this course provides an opportunity for students to be exposed to legal thinking.
Elective Courses
ES 212 European Union and Its Regions 3 credits European integration can succeed only if the people in its member states abandon insisting on their national interest. However, the results of the French and Dutch referenda in summer 2005 showed that still some Europeans are against this perspective. This course examines the process of European integration looking at it from the bottom-up perspective, i.e. from the perspective of the European regions. The need for such a perspective is particularly pressing since calls in some peripheral regions such asScotlandor the Basque Country for abandonment the European Union have become strong. ES 214 The Rise of the Right-Wing Extremism in Western Europe 3 credits The right-wing extremism is the phenomenon, which has occurred yet recently in some of the European countries. While the victory of the right-wing Front National in France led by Le Pen has by many scholars and observers been considered as the strict French phenomenon, the parliamentary victory of the Freedom Party of Austria, the right-wing political party in the Austrian state led by Jörg Haider, or the Lega Nord led by Umberto Bossi in Italy prompted many scholars to make more intensively thoughts about the reasons as well as the implications of the emergence of the right-wing extremism throughout the European continent. Some of them have pointed to the importance of socio-economical factors as the main reasons contributing to its emergence, whereas the others like Theodor Adorno have seen the “authoritarian character” as the key underlying reason. Against this background this course seeks to explore the phenomenon of the right-wing extremism as well as the reasons contributing to its emergence and possible implications for the democracy in Europe.
ES 215 Uncivil Society in Western Europe 3 credits What happens if the state is not friendly to the citizen? It is said that in such circumstances the individuals are likely to have “uncivic” objectives minimizing their contacts with the state and relying to a larger extent upon a network of friends to encapsulate themselves from the state. This problem has so far been especially acute in authoritarian and totalitarian states. Therefore it is astonishing that some, otherwise stable and prosperous democratic states of Western Europe are complaining about the rising incidents of an uncivil society within their societies and its supposed linkage to the right-wing as well as some “European made” terrorist groups. This course seeks to examine the nature and size of an uncivil society inWestern Europeas well as its implications for the Western European democracy. ES 216 The European Union, Germany, and Central Asia 3 credits The September 11, 2001 marks the watershed in the EU’s foreign policy towards Central Asia. For in its aftermath, the European Union decided to enhance substantially its relations with the five Central Asian countries. With subsequent enlargement of the European Union to include the countries in Eastern and Central Europe the distance between the EU and the five Central Asian countries has become even shorter. In particular, the five Central Asian countries have been made an essential part of the EU’s “Neighborhood policy”. In June 2007, upon the German initiative and under its presidency the EU has adopted the new EU’s Political Strategy for Central Asia for the period 2007-2013 which laid down the groundwork for future cooperation between the EU and Central Asia. Besides stocking its aid to the five Central Asian countries the EU is going to assist the Central Asian countries in fostering regional integration and development of good governance in the region. The approximation process between the EU and Central Asia is anticipated to have important implications both for the European Union and the Central Asian countries. Against this background the aim of this course is to take an inquiry into the instruments, actors, and implications of the cooperation between the EU and Central Asia. Thereby, a particular attention will be given to Germany’s role in the EU as the main generator and motor behind the approachment process between the EU and Central Asia. ES 312 Europe: A Community of Values? “Common values” have always been a core element in the concept of Europe. The discussion of them is a good point of departure for better understanding regional integration and cooperation in Europe. The course focuses on the importance of values for the European Union as the most important and advanced project of European integration. It also looks into the role of the Council of Europe and the OSCE for maintaining and promoting European values. Moreover, the questions of how European values have evolved and how they compare to the values of major partners and other civilizations are dealt with.
GAS 353 Urgent Social and Political Events in Germany and Austria 1. 5 credits This course focuses on the major events inGermanyandAustria. The course schedule is thematically broad. It includes both an analysis of controversial political topics and a discussion of urgent social problems inGermanyandAustria. The course seeks to enhance the German language skills of the students and to offer insights into the state and society ofGermanyandAustria. |
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