Europe: Making and Breaking of Nations

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

30 contact hours. Total of 170 hours.

None

None

EURO20006 Europe: Making and Breaking of Nations

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject explores national identity in Europe in the modern era through studying the ‘making’ and ‘breaking’ of nations at key moments in Europe’s history such as the 19 th century, post-World War I and II, the break up of the Soviet Union and the expansion of the European Union. It introduces students to the national myths and legends of Western European countries such as France, Germany, Italy, and Spain as well as select countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Students will read stories of national beginnings and endings, tales of heroism and rebirth, nostalgia and hope, liberation and unity, taken from popular culture, songs, poems, drama and art. An enduring theme will be the ways in which a sense of national self emerges from direct comparison to perceptions of “others”, including Jews, women, the poor and peoples of other nations. Students will gain an appreciation of nation and national identity in Europe as a discursive process, and an understanding of the distinct national stories of a number of European countries.

At the end of this subject, students will:

• be aware of how nations and national identity in Europe have emerged in the modern era.
• be able to appreciate national identity as a discursive process, something which is created and reflected upon in national myths and legends.
• gain an understanding of the different national narratives of countries through reading texts which reflect on the impact of revolutions, wars, colonialism, modernisation, the Cold War and the creation of the European Union.
• gain an appreciation of how the formation of national identities in Europe is a comparative process.
• have a critical appreciation of the relationships between national beginnings and endings and factors such as language, culture, geography, religion, gender and ethnicity.

• 1 x 10 minute class presentation (equivalent to 1000 words) due during semester [10%]
• 1 reflective research essay (1500 words) due during semester [45%]
• 1 cpmparative research essay (1500 words) due at the end of semester [45%]

This subject has the following hurdle requirements:

• Regular participation in tutorials is required with a minimum of 75% attendance.
• All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.

Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 10% per day and in-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked.

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Biomedicine
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Music
• Bachelor of Science

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

• to develop effective public speaking and written communication skills
• to acquire critical thinking and analytical skills
• to acquire an understanding of cultural, linguistic, national and transnational contexts
• to develop an international awareness and openness to the world
• to develop effective time management and planning skills
• to further develop research and essay-writing skills

to develop the capacity to compare the national narratives of different nations