Course Details

This lecture class will introduce you to the political, economic, and social challenges that Europe faces thirty years after the fall of the Wall. Among the most pressing issues are the future of European integration after Brexit; the ongoing refugee crisis; the rise of illiberal democracies and new right-wing reactionary movements or parties; Turkey’s authoritarian turn, and finding a common response to climate change. We will explore these issues in the context of post-war European integration and interrogate the capacities of the EU to cope with multiple simultaneous challenges. How are these issues addressed in member states and on the supranational level of the EU? What remains of the ‘European Model’? Is there a European identity? Throughout the quarter, we will assess how the European Union works and ask if it can be a model for multilevel governance beyond state borders.