POL 40995 European Issues

Course Name:  POL 40995 European Issues

Description: This course will explore basic issues in the politics and political development of main Western European countries. We begin by inquiring into the political development of Britain, France, Italy and Germany over the past century. Why did democracy develop gradually, without major political conflagration, in Britain? Why did France experience a series of revolutions in its political development? How did Germany rebuild itself from wartime destruction and developed as the economic engine of Europe? We then turn to the character of democratic institutions and party competition in these countries in recent years. How does democracy work in parliamentary political systems? What do different parties stand for? What are the major lines of conflict in the domestic politics of European countries, and is this different from that in the US?  Moreover the course will explore other historical and political and social issues which marked the recent European political life, such as the end of the Cold War and its consequences for Europe.

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites: None

Open to all students.