(from the 1850s to the 1980s)
The main aim of the course is to compare ten formative developments in politics, society, economy and culture which have started between 1850 and 1870 with similar trends since the mid-1980s (the beginning of the “second globalization”).
World War I and World War II harmed international networks and transfers of the “first globalization” considerably. The geopolitical conflict between the two super power bloc systems of the USA and the Soviet Union perpetuated the nationalistic trends despite integration within the respective spheres of influence (as documented for example by the European Integration process). This abrupt end of the first globalization is renegotiated since the 1980s with a large unexpected variety of continuities from the 19th century.
World War I and World War II, the Holocaust as well as the Cold War are the result of a longer development with a complex system of discontinuities and continuities as well as transformations. Like before 1900 the ongoing globalization is influenced by rapid technological developments with deep effects on economic, cultural and political transfers and transformations.
The course will focus on Europe in a broad sense of the term and cover the following topics:
- Introduction to the history of Globalization(s)
- Art, culture and science from the first to the second modernity
- Migration history (including forced migration)
- Social structures of Europe
- The “long way” of Democracy and the impact of Fascism, National Socialism and Communism
- Europe as a battlefield and war machinery – including the colonial wars in the 19th and 20th century, the two World Wars, and the wars in Yugoslavia
- Economic booms and disasters and the effects of cycles of economic crisis since the late 19th century to the presence
- The long story of terror (from anarchists to the effects of September 11th)
- The construction of national and European values and European hyphenated identity
- European historical narratives (the Holocaust; Europe as a peace project)
Requirements: Attendance and participation in class discussions constitute 30%, a short final topical essay of 12 pages make 70% of the grade.
