Fall 2024  |  GEOG 3161 Section 001: How the World Made Europe (19727)

Instructor(s)
Class Component:
Lecture
Credits:
3 Credits
Grading Basis:
Student Option
Instructor Consent:
No Special Consent Required
Instruction Mode:
In Person
Class Attributes:
UMNTC Liberal Education Requirement
Times and Locations:
Regular Academic Session
 
09/03/2024 - 12/11/2024
Mon, Wed 02:30PM - 03:45PM
UMTC, West Bank
Blegen Hall 125
Enrollment Status:
Open (10 of 40 seats filled)
Also Offered:
Course Catalog Description:
It is impossible to think about the contemporary world without the lasting impact Europe has had on it. But what are the deeper reasons for Europe to emerge as a dominant region from the late Middle Ages onwards? Why has Europe recently found itself in profound economic and political, even existential crisis? Historical geography provides answers. Divided by landscape, language, religion, and war, European empires imposed the state-form, capitalism, and their cultures on the rest of the world. European societies even became the supposed standard for how all humanity is meant to live. But there have always been cracks in this success story. The project of the European Union promised peace and prosperity for half a billion people but faces unprecedented challenges, from Brexit, the Ukraine war, and the return of state racism to climate change and covid. This course will guide you through Europe's general historical characteristics to understand how it shaped globalization.
Class Description:
INSTRUCTOR: PROF. ARUN SALDANHA. It is impossible to think about the contemporary world without the lasting impact European culture has had on it. But what are the deeper reasons for Europe to emerge as a dominant continent from the sixteenth century onwards? Why is it in crisis at present? Its physical, cultural, and economic geography will provide answers. Divided by landscape, language, religion, and war, Europe is a kind of test case of how all today's societies are supposed to function. The project of the European Union promises peace and prosperity for some 500 million people in 27 countries, but faces unprecedented challenges, from unemployment and xenophobia to population aging and climate change. The EU does not cover all of the continent, of course. Who is and could be a member state in itself explains much about its complex history. This course will guide you from Europe's physical make-up and urbanization to the formation of nation-states and the colonization of other continents, in order to understand the crisis today.
Who Should Take This Class?:
This course has a critical historical angle. No prior knowledge of Europe or geography is required, as long as you're interested in learning about the deeper aspects of our contemporary world.
Learning Objectives: