Department of European Studies & Modern Languages, Unit Catalogue 2008/09 |
EU30294 In search of Europe (1) - the cold war 1945 - 1989 |
| Credits: 6 |
| Level: Honours |
| Semester: 1 |
| Assessment: CW 33%, ES 67% |
| Requisites: |
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Aims: The 'In Search of Europe' course as a whole aims to provide an appropriate theoretical, conceptual and empirical framework of reference to enable students to explore continuities and changes in the concept of Europe since World War II. In Semester 1, the unit focuses on the implications of Soviet-American rivalries during the Cold War for both halves of Europe, and the causes and nature of the Cold War's demise in 1989.
Learning Outcomes: By the end of the unit students should be able to: * demonstrate understanding of the different impacts of the Cold War on Western and Eastern Europe, and on different countries within these regions; * explain the eventual collapse of Soviet-type systems in Europe. Skills: Skills in critical analysis, conceptual thinking, precision in the use of written and spoken language, exercise of independent judgement, reasoned argument and the planning/conduct/reporting of non-quantitative research are developed and assessed in this unit. Content: The Cold War; strengths and weaknesses of the Soviet bloc before 1989; Cold War and détente in Western Europe (1960s-1980s); 1989 and the collapse of Cold War era political systems. |