Syllabus
EUROPEAN SECURITY: BETWEEN RUSSIA AND AMERICA
Instructor: Prof. Fred Eidlin
Spring 2011
I. Frozen perceptions and definitions
A. Subconscious habits of thought and perception.
B. Eurocentrism ( Europe as the center of world politics)
C. Russia and Communism as central threats to European security.
D. United States as protector and benefactor.
E. NATO as pillar of European security.
F. Such perceptions not the way things always were, or how they are likely to be.
II. Genesis of the fault lines in post-World War I Europe
A. Rise of nationalism as sacred principle
B. Erosion and collapse of European empires: threat to European security.
C. Century of total war.
D. Powder-keg of inter-war Europe: National securities and European insecurity.
E. America and USSR as outsiders on the European scene: Some retrospective history
F. Hitler and Stalin: Fathers of the European Union?
III. Drivers of European unity
A. Social, Economic, and Political Impact of the Wars: Lessons learned
B. Holy war and the Cold War: Genesis of stability in Europe
C. Escalation ( breakdown of cooperation, Berlin Blockade, FRG and GDR)
D. Marshall Plan: European cooperation encouraged
E. What to do with Germany? Coal and Steel Community as institutional framework- limited surrender of sovereignty
F. Coal and Steel Community to Common Market to Europen Community to
European Union
G. Detente and stability- stability of opposing blocs
IV. Collapse of the Post-War order
A. Liberalization and softening of the Soviet and East European regimes of the
Soviet type
B. Soviet postwar intentions in retrospect
C. Invasion of Czechoslovakia: Confirmation of stable ( and secure) division of Europe
D. "Actually-existing Socialism": Death of ideology and stabilization of order
E. "Zastoi": Cynicism, humanism, opportunism, inertia
F. Collapse of Soviet-type Communist regimes, victory of Western-style democracy
V. Groping towards a new order in Europe and in the World
A. Logic of habit and institutional inertia: Expansion of EU and NATO
B. Russia: No longer foe, but not really friend either
C. Reorientation of Russian foreign policy: Out of the Western Solar System
D. Reorientation of U.S. foreign policy: Europe no longer center of the
Universe
E. New security issues: Terrorism, energy, economics, immigration
F. Differentiation of foreign policies of EU and NATO members
G. Differentiation of Russian relations with European states
H. U.S.-Russia relations not involving Europe