Europe and the World in the XVII-XIX cc.

2023/2024

Academic Year

ENG

Instruction in English

3

ECTS credits

Delivered by:

Department of History

Type:

Compulsory course

When:

3 year, 3, 4 module

Instructor

Erren, Lorenz

Course Syllabus

Abstract

This course surveys the history of great power politics in Early Modern Europe, with a focus on 18th century Russia. The course will explore a number of ongoing themes: The evolution of the European value systems, political theories and practices, of diplomacy and, last not least – warfare. A central topic is the emergence of 'modern statehood' – and the challenge for historiography to explain and to describe a political system that worked without „modern states“ as we know them.

Learning Objectives

• Students will understand the fundamental questions and methods of Early modern Europan political theory and practice; they will develop critical skills of assessing historic sources and historiographic texts (and other discourses) that refer to early modern and contemporary power politics. The will be able to put historical events (rulers' decisions) into the context of contemporary discourses and historical discourses in the context of contemporary events.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Students will be able to read academic literature for seminars, discuss it during a seminar and participate in a group discussion in English.
• Students will be able to read analytically academic literature for seminars, summarise it, highlight the main arguments, and critically evaluate them.
• Students will be able to compare the views of different authors on the same subject, analyse and evaluate the ideas of other students suggested during seminar discussions.
• Students will be able to discuss academic literature during a seminar and participate in a group discussion in English.
• Students will be able to write their own little texts in English in a concise and comprehensible way.

Course Contents

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Medieval Universalism
• 3. The Holy Roman Empire (HRE), its fundamental laws, symbols and political realities.
• 4. Dynasticism. Personal Unions.
• 5. Democratic Peace.
• 6. Military Revolutions.
• 7. „Sovereignty“
• 8. Nations, Peoples, Estates.
• 9. Interests, „Raison d'Etat“.
• 10. The „Pentarchy“ and the „Balance of Power“.
• 11. „Bellicism“.
• 12. New Pacifism. Cabinet Diplomacy
• 13. The French Revolution..
• 14. Outlook into the 19th Century
• 15. Towards the 1848 Revolution and the Crimean War

Assessment Elements

• Analytical reading
• Participation in seminars
• Take-home written examinations
  A student will every week produce at home some texts (no more than 1-2 pages) that will usually encompass:  A summary of the contents of the previous session. (less than 900 words)  A summary of the text (article) that was read before or during the session (less than 900 words)  A short text where he answers a given question and/or formulates his own comments and questions (less than 900 words).
• Essays

Interim Assessment

• 2023/2024 4th module
  0.3 * Essays + 0.3 * Participation in seminars + 0.4 * Take-home written examinations

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Broers, L. V. (DE-588)1025900383, (DE-576)370886259, aut. (2013). Recognising politics in unrecognised states : 20 years of enquiry into the de facto states of the South Caucasus / Laurence Broers. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.515148334

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Foerster, T., & Burkhardt, S. (2013). Norman Tradition and Transcultural Heritage : Exchange of Cultures in the ‘Norman’ Peripheries of Medieval Europe. Farnham, Surrey, England: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=645088