Spring 1999
MWF 2:00-2:50, Friends 301
Prof Chip Gagnon
324 Muller Center
tel. 274-1103 *
Office hours: MWF 12-1, 3-4, and by appt.
Politics 310-330: European Politics
Spring 1999
MWF 2:00-2:50, Friends 301
Prof Chip Gagnon
324 Muller Center
tel. 274-1103 *
Office hours: MWF 12-1, 3-4, and by appt.
(image from Worldsat)
Over the past ten years the face of Europe has changed enormously. The Berlin Wall is gone and the capital of Germany is once more located in that formerly divided city. Liberal democratic institutions have replaced state socialist systems throughout Eastern Europe. Members of the European Union have just this year moved toward scrapping the franc, mark, lira and other national currencies and introducing a new common currency, the Euro. Yet alongside these shifts in the political landscape, other, longstanding issues have also come increasingly to the fore, including questions of European identity and democracy. Over the semester we'll explore changes and continuities, institutions, trends and issues that Europe is facing on the eve of the 21st century.
We'll begin the course by exploring what the word "Europe" means, its connotations and implications. We'll then look at the concept of democracy, and think about it in the context of Europe's political institutions and parties. The European Union has become a major autonomous player in Europe and the world, and we'll look at its institutions and policies, as well as some major critiques of the EU. We'll also look at the transition to liberal political and economic systems that has been taking place in Eastern Europe.
In the second half of the course we'll look at issues of citizenship, immigration, racism and nationalism. Although Europeans have tended not to think of their countries as countries of immigration, since the end of WWII large numbers of immigrants from Europe and from outside Europe have changed the political landscape of the continent. We'll look at how these changes are being dealt with, and at the political forces which are using xenophobia and racism in attempts to gain political support. Ironically, given the integration processes, Europe is also seeing a number of nationalist, separatist, and regionalist movements. We'll look at a few cases, including Northern Ireland, Padania (in Northern Italy), Scotland, and Yugoslavia (Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina).
Required texts (at IC Bookstore):
Other required readings:
Readings listed as "Required" are mandatory and serve as background for the class discussion. As discussed below part of your grade is based on whether you have done the readings, have written reaction briefs, and are prepared to discuss them in class. The amount of reading is generally small enough that you should have time to carefully read and take notes on the readings before each class.
The readings are of varying complexities; some are quite difficult. If you have any questions on the readings, please ask in class, or stop by my office. I would suggest taking notes on the readings as you do them to ease review for exams. The midterm and final will have questions about specific assigned readings, so it is in your interest to do all required readings carefully. The amount of reading is generally small enough that you should have time to carefully read and take notes on the readings before each class.
Every semester I struggle with this issue: how to get students to "do the readings." Perhaps the most basic question this raises is: What does "doing the readings" mean?
It doesn't mean just sitting down and mechanically going through the articles; that's a sure way to make even an interesting article boring.
Reading is an active and interactive process between the reader and the text. If you're really reading a text you are also reacting to it. I've included a wide range of texts in order to provoke a wide range of responses from readers.
Reading should also be a reflective process. To really understand an article deeply it is usually necessary to read it and think about it, and then read it again, and think about it, and discuss it with others, write about it and read it yet again. I've found that even after many readings, when I read a text in order to explain it to someone else I get new perspectives on the author's arguments and assumptions, on the text's strengths and weaknesses.
So when I say "do the readings," I mean "engage yourself with the ideas of the text." I understand that some of the texts are quite complex and that not all of them are entertaining. But struggle is part of the reading experience. If something's not clear, if it's confusing, talk about it with others outside of class, and/or bring it up in class. If it's a long or complex reading, don't try to do it all in one sitting; take breaks, come back to it, read it in small doses. As I mentioned above, taking notes on a text while you read it or re-read it is also a very good way to engage the text and to make sure you understand it.
If you do not understand the readings after we discuss
them in class, please see me immediately. Some of the readings
are very challenging, and I expect you to speak with me if anything
is not clear.
Take-home Midterm Exam (15%). Due the week
before spring break. Optional: "Suggested Reading"
summary. You should choose one of the "suggested
readings" from the syllabus and prepare a 3-4 page reaction
paper, in which you briefly summarize the argument of the author
and react to it. If there is a topic that is of interest
to you that does not have a suggested reading listed, please
speak to me as soon as possible. Suggested reading summaries
are due the day the reading or topic is listed in the syllabus.
Meaning of grades:(1)
A = excellent: intense effort and remarkable achievement.
B = good: good effort and pretty good understanding
C = okay: barely adequate amount of effort or effort that is somewhat
misfocused or mistargeted
D = inadequate effort or mistargeted effort
F = little or no effort or complete misunderstanding of expectations
If you get below a C, you should immediately come to see me
so we can discuss your paper or exam.