CODE | IRL1193 | ||||||||
TITLE | Introduction to Modern Europe | ||||||||
UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||
MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||
ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||
DEPARTMENT | International Relations | ||||||||
DESCRIPTION | The primary objective of this part of the course is to provide students with a critical understanding of the major socio-economic transformations in Europe, roughly from 1500, which had great implications for the development of a wide range of processes and structures in Europe and outside in other continents. It reviews the prominent forces of change (and continuity) in Europe’s modern history, and the main political and economic consequences associated with the discovery of the New World and colonization, the renaissance, the decline and eventual disappearance of feudalism, serfdom and the power of the Catholic Church, along with the dominance of mercantilism, the development of capitalism, Protestant Reformation, enlightenment, scientific and technological progress, secularization of civic politics, and the rise of the nation-state and the modern inter-state system. This course looks at the most significant effects, at the international arena, of the revolutions (social, political and industrial) in European countries, as well as of European wars, including WWI, WWII and the Cold War. It also covers the main issues surrounding more recent attempts for cooperation and integration (in foreign and home affairs) between European countries, through the EU organisations. The course seeks to provide the students with a basic knowledge of the theoretical and analytical framework underlying concepts and ideas like universal civilisation, modernity, integration and globalisation, to assist them to form their own views on a current developments in international relations. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Richards, D. (1986): An Illustrated History of Modern Europe, 1789-1984. Longman Carr, E.H. (1990): International Relations Between the Two World Wars 1919-1939. Palgrave. Macmillan Kennedy, P. (1989): The Rise and Fall of Great Powers. Fontana Press Kitchen, M. (1988): Europe Between the Wars: A Political History. Longman Libbon, R.P. (1996): Instant European History: From the French Revolution to the Cold War. Fawcett Viault, B.S. (1992): Modern European History. McGraw-Hill Hobsbawm, E. (1962): The Age of Revolution 1789-1848. Abacus Hobsbawm, E. (1996): The Age of Capital 1848-1875. Vintage Books Hobsbawm, E. (1987): The Age of Empire 1875-1914. Abacus Hobsbawm, E. (1994): The Age of Extremes: The Short Twentieth Century History 1914-1991. Abacus |
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STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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LECTURER/S | Adrian Scerri |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |