History

The course examines the relations between Europe’s different religious groups – the various Christian denominations chiefly, but also Christians and Jews – in the centuries between the Reformation and the French Revolution. With the Reformation, a once-united western Christendom split into hostile, warring camps. Despite the ideals of toleration and religious freedom championed by some thinkers, actual social relations between the groups remained intensely problematic to the very end of the early modern period.

This course begins by covering the classical concept of the totalitarian state, as developed by Hannah Arendt and others, taking Hitler and Stalin as their models. Subsequent modifications and debates regarding the theory of totalitarianism, especially in the Soviet Empire, are discussed. The course questions what popular attitudes and psychological reactions exist towards totalitarian atrocities, such as the Holocaust, and under what psychological conditions are individuals capable of offering resistance. While these phenomena may now appear to be bygones of merely historical interest, the psychological aspects of “totalitarian situations” remain acutely important, even in present-day democratic societies. The massacre in My Lai, the obedience experiments carried out by Stanley Milgram, and other psychological studies provide shocking evidence of how easily average citizens are in danger of behaving inhumanely in social situations.

This course looks at the medieval Celtic peoples in the period from c.400-1066AD. The course studies the art and literature of the Celts, and looks at the movements and developments in Britain and Ireland in the period after 400AD which led to the establishment of the historical Celtic kingdoms.

The phrase “Germany is not a country of immigration” has been said by German officials multiple times, and yet, Germany is the second most popular destination for immigrants (just after the USA). But how has this country, which less than 100 years ago was home to one of the most racist and xenophobic regimes that has ever existed, is now home for so many immigrants? This class explores the history and the laws behind it and, even more, hears the stories first hand from immigrants living in Berlin. As the course takes place in Berlin, the city is the study case. From tours organized by refugees, walks in the diverse Berliner neighborhoods, and interviews with immigrants, this class aims to give a more in depth, first hand insight on the condition of immigrants living in Germany. That, without forgetting to take history, law, and geography into account, for a richer understanding of the processes that have transformed this city (and country) over and over again.

This course reconsiders the relationship between industrial society and war. Away from the capitalist peace theory, the course reconsiders industrial revolutions and economic reforms through the lens of security. It raises the question of the variety of capitalist models. In a very pragmatic way, it studies the correlation between conflict and the rise of a new economic power. Topics include theories of hegemonic transition, the rise of China and United States trade wars, understanding trade wars in the 21st century and the modern economy, and economic interdependence when security is at stake. At the crossroads of economics, history, and political science, the course adopts a comparative approach with cases taken from the United States, China, Russia, the European Union, and Japan.