| Description: | The course will explore the vast physical, social, political and mental changes that occurred in European societies from the rise of Mediterranean civilization until the French Revolution. This long-term perspective will help students to understand the turning points in European history and the historical roots of contemporary European states. Particular attention will be devoted to the influence of Roman civilization on subsequent European empires and states. The evolution of Europe's external relations will be another key topic of the course. The imperial expansion of Rome, the barbaric invasions, the Crusades and finally the new forms of European colonialism will be analyzed and explained. The third main theme of the course will be the process of nation building in modern Europe, the rationale for the rise of nations and empires and the dynamics of the new system of states and international relations that appeared with the so-called Ancien Regime. This part of the course will provide students with a very important tool for understanding contemporary Europe and elements of historical methodology as well as elements of political theory which will be useful for other courses on European history and politics. |