210106 SE M7a VertiefungsSE Europe beyond Nationstate (engl.) (2012W)

As the international system changes after the Cold War, the relevance of nation states is increasingy called into question. The concepts of union or of empire are often invoked as alternatives. Analogies are drawn between historical experiences and contemporary developments. These are either realistic or idealistic. The U.S. are frequently described as a modern Rome, while the EU more often is put into a utopian perspective. Combining approaches of political theory, of the history of international relations and of modern comparative social science, this course will try to look into and discuss these and related questions.

Topics included:
I. Empires in history
* The logic of empires
* Ancient Empires: Athens and Rome
* The British Empire

II. Union experiences
* Rise and fall of nation states
* Unions in comparison
* The United States of America as union and empire

III. European visions
* The EU as superstate
* The EU as a cosmopolitan empire
* The Europeanization of the world