All that matters.

This seminar is designed to familiarize participants with the politics, systems, processes, issues, and institutions encountered in selected European countries (eg., Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK) from a comparative perspective, but also within the context of their membership and participation in the European Union (EU) and (for several of the above case studies) in a single currency union (the Eurozone). In this context, our focus will be not merely on the political systems and culture of European nations but also on the processes of Europeanization and globalization. Today’s Europe is an amazing laboratory (a collection of 28 countries with diverse cultures and levels of economic development) in which economic integration seeks to work hand-in-hand with the ideals of democracy and human rights without infringing upon national sovereignty. The extent to which these goals and objectives are working together in harmony will be thoroughly explored in the course as well as the extent to which elected governments in today’s Europe look primarily after the interests of their own citizens over those of the EU. Finally, issues such as the euro crisis, the rise of the far right, and the challenges of multiculturalism and immigration will receive extensive attention.

This is an online seminar. Please inquire for further details