20th-Century Europe

Catalog description

This course covers the history of twentieth-century Europe, a time when major wars brought Europe from the heights of prosperity and power to the brink of ruin. Europe’s experience in war, social upheaval, and ideological conflict shaped the twentieth century not just in Europe but globally. We begin with a look at the condition of Europe at the turn of the century and assess why the European states plunged into what was a disastrous series of conflicts. We will consider the First World War and its impact, including the Russian Revolution and the peace settlement, and then focus on attempts to find stability and the emergence of radically new political movements that challenged the postwar order. Next we will examine the ways in which Europe embarked on the path of near self-destruction during World War Two. A discussion of the origins and consequences of the Cold War and the fate of the socialist and capitalist systems follows. Throughout the course we will touch upon European art and culture. We will conclude with a look at the events of 1989 and attempt to understand the meaning of the twentieth century. This course counts towards the fulfillment of the Global Perspectives element of the CLAS general education curriculum.