Courses in European Studies

The course offers students an introduction to the field of European Studies by exploring key inflection points in European history, society and culture as well as current events, ideas and trends in Europe. In this course, Europe is conceived in traditional geographic terms, i.e. it includes not only countries of the European Union, but also countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Russia and the Balkans. We will explore from the multidisciplinary perspectives both primary sources—art, movies, fiction, documents—as well as secondary sources that analyze the idea of Europe. 

Student Learning Outcomes:

• You will gain an understanding of the major ideas, trends and disciplines within the field of European Studies
• You will be able to identify specific historical and cultural origins of the ideas and events that shape contemporary Europe
• You will develop interdisciplinary and cross-cultural perspectives on European culture.
• You will improve your ability to read and think critically.
• This course will provide you the opportunity to hone many of the skills required for success outside of the classroom, such as the abilities to research an argument and express it clearly. 

This course fulfills part of the “Foundations of Learning” General Education requirement.

European authors at the intersection of arts, science, and technology. Major innovations and debates across time and place.

This course investigates the main political events, ideologies and aesthetic trends of the 20th century Europe and familiarizes students with cultural resources and social processes that contributed to the making of EU. The students will examine the close ties between art and ideology, art and politics of the twentieth-century Europe, making an emphasis on the specificity of relevant cultural, historical and social contexts in accounts of literature, film and visual arts. In the second part of the course we will focus on the cultural politics of European integration. The goal of the EU was to lay the foundations for a new kind of social and political order in Europe. The question that permeates the study of the EU is what role ‘culture’ plays in the process of European unification and how this concept was used in the creation of a more coherent sense of identity among European citizens.

Student Learning Outcomes:

• Develop an understanding of contemporary Europe from an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural perspective.
• Develop a familiarity with European value systems and the ways they are communicated across cultures.
• Apply the analytical tools of the interdisciplinary field of European Studies to analyze cultural, intellectual, and artistic trends with sensitivity to their diverse cultural contexts and historical moments.  
• Argue from multiple perspectives about Europe’s role in the world today.
• Demonstrate the ability to approach complex problems and ask complex questions drawing upon knowledge of contemporary Europe.

This course fulfills a portion of the “Explorations of Human Experience” general education requirement. 

This class explores the integral role food plays in European Culture and identity. We examine food culture in specific regions and countries, look at the ways traditions, regional distinctions and every day routines are intimately connected with food sourcing, preparation and consumption. We examine the ways in which people’s passion for food, spices and other consumables influenced cross-cultural exchange, global exploration and trade. We also focus on the impact of Europe’s colonial history on food culture including the exploitation of lands and people for the extraction/production of products such as sugar, the integration of food from the colonies into mainland European diets and the continued demands for globally sourced food products. The class examines contemporary challenges to traditional food culture in Europe and the politics of food within the EU and its trading partners. Course materials will be interdisciplinary and include literature, historical analysis, films and academic studies of food culture.

Student Learning Outcomes:

• Apply relevant studies regarding the role of food science in cultural identity formation to the European continent.
• Analyze factors across time and in different European countries that contribute to regionally unique food cultures as well as pan-European sentiments and habits associated with food production, consumption and cultural identity.
• Observe, identify and describe the influence of behavioral and migratory patterns on cultural, political and social policies in individual European countries and the EU.
• Explain and evaluate the ways several European countries are making their food industry greener and more sustainable.
• Articulate and examine several key challenges to the European food Industry including labor exploitation, environmental impact and food insecurity

This course satisfies SDSU Upper Division Area D GE: Social and Behavioral Sciences.
This course also fulfills the Cultural Diversity Requirement.

Two lectures and two hours of activity.

Issues and themes in European culture as seen through its films. May be repeated with new title and content. Maximum credit six units.

European Cinema provides students with an understanding of key issues of contemporary Europe as represented in film.  Students also develop skills in the critical analysis of films and their themes from interdisciplinary and cross-cultural perspectives and within various European and global contexts.  This variable topic course has focused on such topics as: Crime in European Film, Now New Next: EU Expansion and Post-Communist Identity in Film, and Beyond Borders: Transnational and International European Contexts.

Student Learning Outcomes:

• Define several key cinematic terms.
• Situate the films and their themes in historical and cultural context.
• Identify the key social, political and cultural factors portrayed in the films.
• Examine the films for technique, theme and narrative style.
• Analyze a cultural issue in European Studies from a multi-disciplinary perspective.
• Assess and evaluate the role the “Other” in European cinema and culture. 

This course fulfills a portion of the “Explorations of Human Experience” general education requirement. 

Social, economic, and cultural transformations in Europe after the collapse of communism. Daily life under communism and the impact of the collapse of this political system on language, individual identity, space, and community.

This course examines the social, economic and cultural transformations in Europe since the collapse of communism. Particular focus is given to the construction of communism in in people’s daily lives and the impact of its collapse on language, economics, space, identity and European culture. Students will utilize a wide variety of course materials, including primary and secondary texts, scholarly articles, literature, memoirs and film.

Student Learning Outcomes:

• Define the relationship between the individual and the state under communism and analyze the role of the state in constructing “identity” under communism (propaganda, policy, and social institutions).
• Situate the lived experience of individuals in communist countries within the broader context of the state-promoted values and ideals of communism and socialism.
• Identify the key social, political, and cultural factors that contributed to the end of communism. 
• Examine the ways in which individuals and institutions redefined themselves and their ideologies after the collapse of communism.
• Analyze the role of personal and institutional nostalgia for the collapsed system and how this influences life in former Communist nations.
• Assess and evaluate the different paths post-Communist countries took. Particular focus will be given to examining the wars, ethnic cleansing, and revolutions that have been part of establishing a new political order in Post-Communist Europe.
• Evaluate contemporary life in formerly Communist countries.

This course fulfills a portion of the “Explorations of Human Experience” general education requirement.

Human trafficking in context of migration, human rights, society, culture, and gender discourses in Europe. Historical accounts of trafficking, scholarly articles, literature, film, and primary documents from advocacy organizations and governmental institutions.

The course will explore the subject of the trafficking of individuals to, from and within Europe for the purposes of commercial labor, domestic service or sexual exploitation. Students will study the historical evolution of human trafficking from fears over the "White Slave Trade" that gripped Europe in the early twentieth century to contemporary concerns about the human costs of globalization, international migration and European Cultural dynamics. Analyzing the topic from local and international perspectives, students will gain an understanding of the various forms of human trafficking, methods used to fight this problem and the underlying moral and ethical issues at the heart of globalization, migration and human rights. A wide variety of course materials engage students with historical accounts of trafficking, scholarly articles, literature, film and primary documents from advocacy organizations and governmental organizations.

The course was featured on SDSU NewsCenter in Off the Beaten Course. Read the article.

Course Goals and Outcomes:

• Develop an understanding of the various forms of human trafficking in Europe.
• Situate contemporary forms of human trafficking in a historical context.
• Position human trafficking in the broader context of globalization and migration.
• Evaluate and assess the value system promoted by the anti-trafficking movement, particularly as it relates to issues of gender, migration, human rights, and global inequality.
• Identify current sites for trafficking, including source, transit, and destination countries in Europe. Particular focus should be given to countries that occupy all three categories (Russia, Moldova, Ukraine).
• Analyze and Critique the visual and narrative discourse techniques employed by filmmakers and writers in their portrayals of human trafficking.
• Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of one aspect of human trafficking in Europe, particularly in the areas of European value systems, human rights and representations of traffickers and their victims.

This course fulfills a portion of the “Explorations of Human Experience” general education requirement.

Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing.

Explores issues of race and identity formation, contestation, and transformation in Europe. Students will examine evolving understandings of what it means to be “European” in a diverse Europe. Topics include: Colonialism, Roma Rights, Islamophobia, Racism, Anti-racist activism and Hip Hop Culture.

This course fulfills a portion of the “Explorations of Human Experience” general education requirement. 

Prerequisites: Upper division standing in the major and consent of instructor.

Practical work experience in a field related to European studies. Work done under joint direction of activity sponsor and instructor. Approved international internships may count towards international experience requirement for major.

Specialized study of topics such as European union, European women, or European art. May be repeated with new title and content. See Class Schedule for specific content. Maximum credit six units.

This course offers upper division students a specialized study of a topic pertinent to contemporary European culture. The thematic focus of the course is selected by faculty on a semester by semester basis. Past topics have included: the European Union, European Art, Women in Europe, Human Trafficking and Identity in Post-Communist Europe. Two regularly featured course topics include: Europe and Post-Colonialism, Europe and Terrorism, and Memory/History. Links to a more detailed description of those courses can be found below. Students may repeat the course if it is offered with a new title and content.