What is Europe?
Explore the historical development and contested nature of ‘Europe’ as a political and economic entity in this free course. Understand the rationale behind the emergence of the idea of ‘Europe’ in policy making and the challenges faced by the EU as it expands. Discover different conceptions of Europeanness and competing visions for the future of the EU.
The European Union (EU), formed out of the ashes of the Second World War, continues to expand in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union. Despite the EU’s growing size and significance, the question ‘What is Europe?’ still resonates through the continent. This free course looks at a range of different views on the question, contrasting different conceptions of Europeanness and outlining competing visions for the future of the EU.
Course learning outcomes
After studying this course, you should be able to:
Appreciate the historical development of ‘Europe’ as a political and economic entity
Understand the rationale for the emergence of the idea of ‘Europe’ in policy making
Understand the contested nature of the idea of Europe
Understand that ‘Europe’ is not coterminous with the European Union
Appreciate the challenges facing the EU as it expands.