Europe at the end of World War II lay in ruins, its political, economic,
cultural, military and technological predominance destroyed. The continent was divided by two
peripherally European powers, and soon to be a pawn in a larger ideological and political struggle, the Cold War. We will discuss the political, economic, social, and cultural evolution of Europe from the origins ofthe Cold War to the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the collapse of communism. Within this large revolution, of course, we will look at the contradictory trends of erosion of central authority, as illustrated by events in eastern Europe, and the growing unification of the western European nations within the European Union. We will also discuss the impact of the "Thatcherite" market revolution, as well as the re-emergence of nationalism in eastern Europe just as the nations of western Europe consider giving up their national sovereignty.
Books:
Each student will be responsible for a 1 page (front & back) analysis for five (5) of the 7
sections of the Gochberg book. In each analysis, indicate the main point or thesis of the author, as well as the relevance/significance of this selection for post-1945 Europe. There is no specific due date for each analysis, but since there are only five weeks in the summer session, you should plan on turning in one analysis per week.
Written Assignment:
Each student will be responsible for reading a post-1945 European novel and
writing a critical book review based upon it. This is meant to be an analysis of what the book you have
read illustrates about the nature of this era, the insights it provides, and its assessments of the political and social events and movements of that era. A guide to doing a book analysis will be provided to you. Some possible authors might include: Kingsley Amis, Martin Amis, Heinrich Bll, Albert Camus, Simone de Beauvoir, Gnter Grass, Ursula Hegi, Danilo Kis, Ivan Klima, Wolfgang Koeppen, Milan Kundera,
Siegfried Lenz, Alberto Moravia, Vladimir Nabokov, George Orwell, Bernhard Schlink, Isaac Bashevis
Singer, Josef Skvorecy, and Alexander Solzhenitsyn. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and is meant only to be a guide in helping to focus your search for an author.
The essence of good writing consists of two elements: 1) Have something to say; 2) Say it
clearly. Remember, clarity of expression follows clarity of thought. Both your analyses and written
assignment will be graded on content, organization, and style. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me for help. The written assignment will be due: Friday, August 7.
Grades:
There will be two hour examinations in addition to the written assignment and analyses. Each of
these four grades will be worth 25% of your final grade. Grading Scale:
A = 93--> B+= 87-89 B- = 80-82 C = 73-76 D+ = 67-69 F = 59...
A- = 90-92 B = 83-86 C+=77-79 C- = 70-72 D = 60-66
You are responsible for all information discussed in class and in the required readings. If there is any student in this class who has need for test-taking or note-taking accommodation please discuss this with me.
Attendance:
The Department of History expects upper-division students to attend classes regularly.
Experience indicates that failure to attend classes normally leads to poor grades. Draw your own
conclusions.
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