At the end of this course, the student will learn:

• The key issues and challenges in the political life of contemporary Western Europe, and their historical, social, and economic context

• The autonomy of nation-states in Western Europe in relation to specific social, economic, and political forces, and the constraints and opportunities they face in exercising their power and authority

• The international contradictions, tensions, and dynamics of social change in Western Europe, including the impact of globalization, European integration, and migration on the political life of the region

• The comparative perspectives on the political systems and cultures of different Western European countries, and the similarities and differences between them