The European project 1945-2012

Course Description

This module focuses on the development of the European Project from its early beginnings to the Union as we know it today. It begins by looking at the legacy of World War II and the Allied attempts to pacify Europe. Then it will assess the national societies and collective attitudes of the founding members of the European Coal and Steel Union towards a common European project, especially the German-French rapproachment through the Elysee-Treaty. Once the Treaty of Rome had been signed, the European Economic Community gathered momentum, however, the new construct Europe remained challenged by both diverging national attitudes and by issues of common governance.This module highlights the successes of the European unification process over the past 65 years, but also focuses on past and present challenges originating in diverging visions of a future Europe, dissatisfaction with current realities, and the slow approach to domestic (European) and foreign crises of various sorts. Thus it will adopt a bifocal approach: 1) look at the unification of Europe against the backdrop of national and international obstacles, and 2) analyse the threats and options of the European project from individual member states? perspectives.