Germany

This course introduces concepts and theories of Political Economy to shed light on Europe’s history and presence: the course askes and tries to answer questions on how the EU developed from a peace-making into a market-making project, what conflicts and dilemmas this has entailed, what the most recent and future challenges are, and how the EU responds to them in institutional and policy regard.

This course studies the unique federal cultural landscape of Germany and, more specifically, the international cultural metropolis of Berlin which is home to world-class cultural institutions (such as the Staatliche Museen, Museumsinsel, or the Berliner Philharmoniker), traditional theaters, artistic avant-garde, a diverse music and literary scene, sites of the Remembrance, as well as events and clubs. The course considers how the cultural business is structured, how it is funded, the actors involved, and the role that culture plays in Berlin's development. Students get to know cultural institutions from different areas: museums, orchestras, theaters, cultural-political highlights (such as the Humboldt Forum or private initiatives), music labels, and socio-cultural projects. With the help of current and historical texts, through research and field research (individually or in small groups), students develop an overview of what "culture in Berlin" means in concrete terms. Excursions are also planned in Berlin to see and experience the culture as well.

Affective polarization has grown dramatically. Partisans increasingly avoid, distrust, and hate one another to the point where they even condone violence against the other side. Affective polarization is widely seen as a destabilizing force that erodes democracy, but what explains this phenomenon? This course grapples with different definitions of polarization, alternative approaches to explaining its causes, political and non-political consequences of affective polarization, how to compare different countries in regard to their polarization, and mitigating factors. In group work sessions students apply this knowledge by analyzing real world data.

Indigenous people have inhabited the North American continent for thousands of years. Using primary sources from both Indigenous and non-Indigenous authors, this course examines the experiences of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in what is now termed Canada and places particular focus on the construction of Indigenous identity in settler colonial society. Foregrounding Indigenous resistance and agency, the course explores societal structures, Indigenous economies, and interactions between First Nations and settlers, beginning with the period before contact with European settlers and continuing through Canadian Confederation. Themes include treaty-making, theories of settler colonialism, the Indian Act, Indian Status and its impact on Indigenous women, and the movement for Truth and Reconciliation (TRC).