GERM 325 Crisis in Europe

The European project - i.e. the gradual unification of the continent - which had been successful for decades, seems to undergo a fundamental crisis at present. This crisis has different aspects. Primarily, it has to do with the economic inequities within the European Union which became tangible in the aftermath of the world economic crisis of 2008. In its wake, the "weaker" economies, mostly at the periphery, were more affected than the stronger ones. But, there are also other problems, such as the lack of democratic structures, as well as strong leadership, the weight of a centralized bureaucracy, and the lack of a European public sphere. The course will take a look at the achievements of the European Union, the multiple reasons for its current crisis, and the various attempts to overcome it. Open only to juniors and seniors.