Remaking the New Europe

Description

Europe is one of the key nodes in a globalised world. In addition to its intrinsic interest as a global macro-region, Europe is of special importance to New Zealand because of persistent and very strong cultural, economic and political linkages. The course caters for both geography majors and students in other fields with strong European interests, and provides an understanding of how European integration (emergence of the EU, and changes in Eastern Europe) contributes to an increasingly homogeneous and inter related European economy and society.

However, geographers also emphasise continuing diversity within Europe, reflecting variation and differences in environment and resources and economic and political histories. The geography of the new Europe is being built on the ruins of the old.

The first part of the course takes the long view, examining Europe's environmental diversity, and its complicated history, which contribute to highly uneven development, contrasting landscapes, and persistent territorial conflicts. The second part of the course focuses on European integration in the post 1945 period. It analyses the development of the European Union and how this has contributed to changes within Europe and its relationships with the rest of the world. This is explored through themes such as international migration, transnational investment, international  relations and tourism.