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79747-01 - Seminar: European Great Power Politics and Conflicts, 1815-1939 (3 CP)
| Semester | fall semester 2026 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers |
Paul Blickle (paul.blickle@unibas.ch)
Lars von Felten-Kury (lars.kury@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | In this seminar, we explore the history of European great power politics in the long century between the Congress of Vienna and the outbreak of the Second World War. We follow the evolution of modern, post-monarchical states and relate developments in nation building, military and diplomatic cultures, bureaucratization, industrialization, and imperialism to the potential for and the practice of (armed) conflicts between states. Particular attention is paid to diplomacy, alliance systems, arms races, colonial rivalries, public opinion, and evolving concepts of collective security in an increasingly interconnected world. The seminar applies historical sources and methods to the fields of peace and conflict studies and security studies, to contribute to ongoing public and academic debates on the so-called multipolar world order. |
| Learning objectives | Students learn to critically analyze the political, military, economic, and ideological dimensions of European great power politics between 1815 and 1939 through the use of historical sources, methods, and historiographical debates. They develop the ability to connect historical case studies to broader questions in peace and conflict studies and security studies, and to assess what historical examples can tell us about the fragility and persistence of international order, multipolarity, multilateralism, and great power rivalry in the modern world. |
| Bibliography | Christopher Munro Clark. The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914. Penguin Books, 2013. Andrew Denning and Heidi Tworek, eds. The Interwar World. Routledge, 2024. Glenda Sluga. The Invention of International Order. Remaking Europe after Napoleon. Princeton University Press, 2021. Adam J. Tooze. The Deluge: The Great War and the Remaking of Global Order, 1916–1931. Penguin Books, 2015. Natasha Wheatley. The Life and Death of States: Central Europe and the Transformation of Modern Sovereignty. Princeton University Press, 2023. |
| Comments | The dates and times of the seminar will be published shortly. |
| Weblink | https://europa.unibas.ch/en/ |
| Admission requirements | Passive knowledge of French and German will be of required for some of the seminar’s readings. Number of places is limited to 30 students. In case of overbooking, priority will be given to students of the Master's Program in European Global Studies. |
| Course application | The dates of the seminar will be published soon. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|
No dates available. Please contact the lecturer.
| Modules |
Modul: Areas: Europa Global (Master's degree program: European History in Global Perspective) Modul: Epochen der europäischen Geschichte: Neuere / Neueste Geschichte (Master's degree program: European History in Global Perspective) Modul: Neuere / Neueste Geschichte (Master's degree subject: History) Module: Europeanization and Globalization (Master's Studies: European Global Studies) Specialization Module Global Europe: Peace and Conflict Studies (Master's Studies: European Global Studies) Specialization Module Global Europe: Statehood, Development and Globalization (Master's Studies: European Global Studies) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | 1-6 0,5 |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | University of Basel |
| Offered by | Europainstitut |