Europe in the World

This course provides for an inter-disciplinary understanding of Europe’s role in the world and draws on a range of approaches in the social sciences and the humanities. It examines the political, economic, social and security relations of Europe in comparison with the rest of the world from historical and contemporary perspectives. The study of “Europe” is understood in a broad sense to encompass various international organizations, state actors and civil societies. The course assesses the international significance of European integration, the impact of global developments on Europe, and the changing role of Europe in the new world order. The first part of the course investigates Europe in the world from a system-level of analysis with a focus on global governance, the EU as a global actor and power shifts in the international system. The second part of the course pursues a thematic analysis of three core concepts: security, trade and migration. These three concepts are studied across time and across international political and economic systems. The thematic analysis includes a consideration of the broadening concept of security and the security strategies of European states and institutions; the European financial crisis and the changing presence of Europe in the global political economy; and finally the impact of international migration on European societies and states.