European Studies

This course explores the transformations of East-Central Europe after the fall of state socialism in 1989. Rather than providing a simple transition story of marketization and democratization, the course looks at multiple and ambiguous paths taken, understanding the history of neoliberalism and postsocialist transformation as global, intertwined phenomena. From the dominance of the markets and persisting inequalities to the rise of illiberal politics, racism, and nationalist tensions, these transformations have shaped the whole of Europe and the world. The course examines several issues of contemporary East-Central Europe and the world, including the region's position towards the West, the legacy of Communism, memory and decolonization, the formation of capitalism and its impacts, human rights, the links between nation and race, and the fate of liberal democracies.

"Made in Italy" may have been coined in the twentieth century, but the relationship between excellence in craftsmanship and the visual, performing, and decorative arts goes back centuries. Outstanding Italian quality, style, and know-how in a range of artistic traditions from architecture and fashion, to music, and theater have long been recognized internationally. This course examines the intersection between the Arts and Italy's reputation for luxury and high quality through a series of case studies beginning with the fifteenth century. It was Renaissance culture that first fueled the prosperity of the luxury sector in a time where the production and patronage of art was trendsetting. The course investigates how trans-Mediterranean trade inspired local craft industries like metal and stone work; the development of theatre and costume design and the theatrical influence on urban spaces and architecture across European capitals, and the effect of luxury goods on politics and economy. The course provides students the opportunity to interview local artists and artisans, and investigate and present on areas of interest of local excellence in craftsmanship and its connection with the Arts. The course visits the spaces, workshops, and ateliers in Rome that bear witness to this ongoing conversation.

The course covers the history of Europe from the late 18th century through to 1991 – from the French Revolution to the fall of the Soviet Union. Attention is given to social, cultural, economic, and political history, and the way these components have interacted. Lectures and seminars approach European history from a variety of angles. In chronological terms, the course highlights key moments in European history (wars, revolutions) that had continent-side repercussions. In geographical terms, it explores the uses, as well as the limits, of dividing European history into histories of discrete nations and states. In thematic terms, it looks at the formation and evolution of various collective actors—religious communities, classes, sexes, professions, generations - and consider how these groups have shaped and been shaped by historical change.

This course offers an introduction to the legal framework of the European Union, often referred to as sui generis, meaning that it is unique in its characteristics as compared with other regional organizations. EU law is increasingly important for national legal systems. At the same time, the EU represents a fascinating case study of regional integration especially in the light of challenges that the EU has been facing such as the government debt crisis, the refugee crisis, Brexit, and the covid-19 pandemic. This course guides students through the establishment of the EU and development of EU law and policy since then. Relevant questions include: how is the EU organized and how does it function? Which institutions exist within the EU and what is their role? How do they react to recent challenges of European integration? What does EU law regulate and why? How does the European legal order interact with the domestic orders of its Member States? What is the position of individuals within EU law and how are their rights under EU law protected? The course focuses on these institutional questions, helping students to critically assess the EU in its legal context. They zoom in on particular topics, such as decision making in law and in practice, or judicial protection in the EU, teaching students how to apply the general rules to specific case studies. The course gives students a platform for discussing the recent developments within the European Union.

The course examines key aspects of popular religious culture during the early modern period in Europe which witnessed the transformation of religious life associated with the Protestant and Catholic Reformations. It deals specifically with religious ideas and devotional practices at a popular level and the changes introduced by both Protestant and Catholic reformers. As part of the spectrum of belief it examines ideas concerning magic and witchcraft and it includes a study of the witch hunting which swept through Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. Attention is given to the role of women in churches and society, and how they were affected by the religious upheavals of the period. 

Europe encompasses the world’s largest and most complicated market. Recent events, particularly those following the ongoing economic crisis on the continent, raise profound questions about the future of Europe. This course focuses on present and future business issues facing the entire continent. Under this focus, the course examines the following questions: Should a “European” management style be developed instead of the national practices that frequently characterize companies originating in different European nations? How and under what circumstances should the European Union expand to Turkey, Ukraine, and other countries in the East? What has been the impact of the Treaty of Lisbon, in effect since 2009, on European economic, political, and social issues? In order to provide essential background and context for these issues, the course also reviews key events in modern European History. The course utilizes a variety of approaches, including small-group study, lectures, and case-study analysis, to develop a comprehensive understanding of European business. On virtual excursions to different districts of Berlin, the course studies how European and German history have influenced the economic development of this magnificent international capital and the course investigates the impact Berlin has in turn had on European business management. The course also features guest speakers on different topics in business and society in the European context.

This course examines the role of multinational corporations in history. It covers the economic and social contribution of big corporations to home and host countries; the damage the multinational corporations may have done to the world through their handling of natural resources and the environment; the contributions these companies may have made to inequality by their activities in the Global South; and how these huge and powerful organizations contribute to solve the ecological and social challenges we face today.

How has over 300 years of colonialism left its mark on Britain? Whilst some scholars assert that the British were indifferent to empire – that empire was acquired in a “fit of absence of mind” (JR Seeley) – others point to the many traces of empire left in British society and culture to this day. This course analyses these effects and legacies by focusing on the artefacts of empire. Empire seems to be everywhere across British history: in consumer goods and fashion, the built environment and the domestic interior, advertising, visual media and museums, as well as institutions such as the monarchy and the BBC. But is this culture of empire, or simply a random mix of influences from around the world? To what extent is this material culture mediated by narratives of colonial power and racial superiority? This course considers the conquest of Ireland in the 16th and 17th centuries and the onset of slavery in the Caribbean, then looks at the colonization of North America and parts of the Pacific, before moving through the British Raj in India and onto the colonial conquests of Africa and the Middle East, finishing with the end of empire after 1945 and the imperial nostalgia that feeds Brexit. Throughout the course the focus is on cultural objects, their context, and their interpretation.