HHIK07992U CEMES. The History of International Organisations and Europe, 1814-2017
Modern European Studies (CEMES)
Module 2: European politics in a historical perspective
Modern European Studies 1 (HHIK03701E) [Curriculum for the Master’s
elective studies in Modern European Studies, 2013- Curriculum]
Modern European Studies 2 (HHIK03711E) [Curriculum for the Master’s
elective studies in Modern European Studies, 2013- Curriculum]
Read about CEMES: Centre for Modern European Studies
The History of International Organisations and Europe,
1814-2017
‘Americans are from Mars, Europeans from Venus’ was the title of a
recent popular treatment of the transatlantic relationship by
Robert Kagan, in which the author implied that where the United
States still had the will and ability to wage war, the European
Union focused on normative power instead. Given the tumultuous
history of Europe since 1814, including two world wars, Europeans
have certainly not always come from Venus. This course will help
understand just how Europe was transformed from Mars to Venus. It
is the hypothesis of the course that the establishment and
development of international institutions in Europe (and the world)
have played a key role. Nowhere in the world have international
organisations, including the European regional organisations after
1945, had the density and impact they had in Europe. Over time
international organisations helped transform European politics, but
also deeply impacted European states and societies. The result is a
European continent organised in numerous, overlapping,
international organisations, including an increasingly powerful
European Union, which deeply regulate interstate politics and set
norms and standards for both states and societies. The course will
go through the development and impact of international
organisations on European politics, states and societies from 1814
to 2017. It will trace the individual history of a number of
representative international organisations over time and attempt a
comparison. It will explore the historical dynamics behind the
phenomenon, but also attempt to measure the consequences and impact
of the increasing activities and number of international
organisations. Students will be given the task to work in depth
with single organisations and single aspects of the history of
international organisations on basis of archival and oral history
sources.
Course objectives (clarification of some of the
objectives stipulated in the curriculum):
After the course students will be able to:
• have a fundamental and basic understanding of the history of
international organisations and their impact on Europe from 1814 to
2017
• critically analyse and discuss different methodologies,
historical interpretations and social science theories dealing with
the history of international organisations
• work with archival and oral history sources and discuss
critically central problems of course criticism
• prepare and carry out a source based analysis of the history of
international organisations
- Mark Mazover: Governing the World: The History of an
Idea. 2013 (Available from the local university book shop).
- Bob Reinalda: Routledge History of International
Organizations: From 1815 to the Present Day. 2009.
- Mark Gilbert: European Integration: A Concise History.
2011. (Order it at amazon).
- Wolfram Kaiser and Johan Schot: Writing the Rules for Europe:
Experts, Cartels, and International Organizations. Palgrave,
2014.
- Category
- Hours
- Class Instruction
- 56
- Exam Preparation
- 129,5
- Preparation
- 203
- Total
- 388,5
- Credit
- 15 ECTS
- Type of assessment
- Other
- Exam registration requirements
Criteria for exam assesment
Course information
- Language
- English
- Course code
- HHIK07992U
- Credit
- 15 ECTS
- Level
- Full Degree MasterFull Degree Master choice
- Duration
- 1 semester
- Placement
- Spring
- Schedule
- See Timetable link
- Study board
- Study Board of Archaeology, Ethnology, Greek & Latin, History
Contracting department
- SAXO-Institute - Archaeology, Ethnology, Greek & Latin, History
Course responsibles
- Morten Rasmussen (8-7173767869727665446c7971326f7932686f)