Description and objectives:

The course explores the history of the concept of "Europe" both theoretically and empirically, understood in its historical, cultural and normative terms. The mutual perceptions between the "West" and the "East" of the continent, as well as individual nations´ images with a focus on Central and Eastern Europe since the 19th Century and up till now will also be examined. The material is structured by time periods, themes and regions and is supported by case studies. Such concepts as identity, self- and other´s perception, xenophobia, inter-ethnic and inter-state relations will be dealt with and illustrated during the course by such visual material as pictures, short films, and historical maps.

This seminar is an attempt to find plausible answers to the following questions:

What are and were mutual perceptions between Eastern and Western Europe and for what reasons? What connects and what divides both parts of the continent?  Where is the border separating it into the Western, Central and Eastern Europe?  Which historical and contemporary factors contributed to the current state of affairs? What role should we attach to religion? How were the images of the "other" interpreted and understood over time? What factors were crucial for the dynamics of the pan-European communication processes, political rapprochement and current institutional developments? What roles were played over the past two centuries by different stereotypes among nations? What is the relation of the elites / "agents of change" and parties to the political-symbolic "European process"? How did the Europeanization take place after 1945 and 1989?  What was the nature of post-1945/1989 reshaping of Europe? How is European integration and successive rounds of enlargement assessed today? Is a pan-European identity possible?

The seminar has a total of 16 hours. The seminar will be devoted to teaching of skills of analysis and knowledge over the transformation of "Europe". Course participants should recognize the complexity of the issues, describe, understand and explain the processes in Europe. Systematic presence is required. Each session consists of two academic hours.

Methods: traditional teaching, case study analysis, group discussions, individual presentations, course work, oral presentations, final essay.

Modes of study: teaching in English; lectures, seminar; readings; oral presentation / essay (ca. 3000 words).

Maximum number of students: 20

Sign up for the seminar in advance (29 August - 19 September) by using the course enrolment service NettiOpsu

Compensations:

International Relations KVPOA3 (two books of the following: Bengtsson, Vogt-Mayer, Bindi) 4 ECTS

Political Science VALTA7 5 ECTS or VALTS2e (two books) 6 ECTS