OCAM 2020 - From G. H. W. BUSH to D. TRUMP 2.0: Building a New Transatlantic Relationship in the Post-Cold War

The goal of this course is two-fold: to provide the post-Cold War history and political-military context that shaped today's US-European transatlantic relationship and to assess what that relationship could look like in the future. Through readings from those days as well as recent scholarship, class lectures and rigorous class discussions, students will explore how the US and Europe built a new transatlantic relationship after the Cold War and whether it can stand the test of time. The course will particularly focus on why US Administrations since 1990 made the foreign and security policy choices that they did, the drivers that led to those policy decisions and how those decisions have shaped the transatlantic relationship today and into the future.

This class is based on the Socratic method of questions and answers, discussion, and debate. Often the class will dive deeply into a topic or issue that has captured the imagination of the class. A syllabus provided before the semester begins will provide curated articles from academic and policy journals appropriate for each class discussion so that students arrive ready for discussion and engagement. The articles are available on-line and can be accessed through the student's library account. The first 30 minutes of each class will involve a class discussion of relevant news of the day that illustrate today’s issues in the transatlantic relationship

Throughout this course, the class will discuss the key drivers of each US presidential administration's foreign and security policy that shaped the transatlantic relationship, including:

• Administration perceptions of what the appropriate role should be for the US in Europe and on the world stage;
• Administration personalities that shaped policy;
• US domestic politics at the time, including political polarization today;
• Threats by adversaries and competitors at the time.

The class will also discuss the key elements of US foreign and security policy decision-making that are always present and help shape policy outcomes for every administration. Such key elements include:

• US Congress/budgets
• Bureaucratic politics
• The press/social media/public opinion
• Multinational institutions (NATO/UN/EU)
• Ideologies: Communism/Capitalism/Socialism/Populism
• Domestic fears: Terrorism, Russia and China (Great Power Competition), domestic US unrest
• US national characteristics: isolationism, internationalism, provincialism, racism, idealism, religion, hubris, generosity and “can-doism”

Learning Outcomes

• Acquire a nuanced understanding of the drivers and political elements that underpin US and European foreign and security policy that also shape the transatlantic community;
• Acquire a firm grasp of US diplomatic, military and political history impacting Europe from 1945 – 2024 (with the primary focus being the post-Cold War period);
• Acquire a strong background on how the transatlantic community was reshaped and adapted after the Cold War and what the future transatlantic relationship could look like in the future;
• Discuss what the re-election of Donald Trump could mean for the future in terms of how the American people see the US role in Europe and globally
• Further develop skills in reading and thinking critically, and understanding the perspectives of other nations, both in Europe and the US.

Professional Skills

• briefing an audience with confidence on complex issues but within a limited time;
• debating and discussing issues with peers in a professional manner;
• writing clearly and with verve about complex issues but limited in the number of pages used;
• developing respect for diverse opinions and learning the importance of hearing multiple viewpoints;
• learning leadership skills and how to work with others by working in groups.

none

Feedback will be provided at the middle and towards the end of the semester or whenever a student requests it.

Midterm exam: take home essay limited to no more that 10 pages.

Final exam: take-home essay limited to no more than 10 pages.

Class Participation – 10% of overall grade

Mid-term exam – 40% of overall grade

Final Exam: – 50% of overall grade

Mid-term and final essays:

The mid-term and final exams will be in the form of take-home essays. The exact due dates for the essays will be determined based on class workloads during exam week.

For the midterm exam, the student will be required to choose a topic upon which to research and write a 10-page essay. The topic should be something of importance and meaning to the student and related to the class: an issue (such as US-EU relations) or a public personality (such as Donald Trump) or an event (the AUKUS arrangement) that the student wants to explore more deeply and that is related to US-European or transatlantic relations. The essay should be well-structured, with an introduction, clear arguments, and a conclusion and will be subject to academic integrity principles. It will be important to include what has been learned from the readings or discussions in class and the essay should demonstrate a nuanced understanding and analysis of the topic chosen.

For the final exam, the take home essay will also be limited to ten pages and will focus on a specific reading, issue or author from class readings where the student will demonstrate a thorough and nuanced understanding of the issue being discussed, the context and how that issue impacts the transatlantic community.

• In Class Presence: 4 hours a week / 24 hours a semester
• Reading and Preparation for Class: 6 hours a week / 36 hours a semester