Together with Calumet College, CCGES is pleased to present Dr. Wilhelm Bleek, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Ruhr-University Bochum, speaking on the topic of the relationship between German Unification and European Integration.

Geographically located in the centre of Europe and without natural borders, Germany has over centuries either invaded its neighbours or been invaded by them. This vicious circle ended after World War II, when the Federal Republic, as the western part of a divided Germany, became a key actor in the integration of Western and Southern Europe. In 1990, its partners supported the unification of Germany under the condition of further enlarging the European Community to include Eastern Europe. Since 1990, Dr. Bleek will argue, German unification and European integration have become an interlocking process with benefits for both entities. This can be seen as a cause for optimism: A nation and its neighbours can learn from the past. (CONTINUE READING)

According to Joseph Nye “cultural diplomacy is a prime example of ‘soft power’ or the ability to persuade through culture, value, and ideas as opposed to ‘hard power’ which conquers or coerces through military might.” Although cultural diplomacy is a concept that has been practiced throughout history, it gained particular prominence in the aftermath of World War II with its devastating suffering and loss on a global scale. In recent times, cultural diplomacy has served to present countries as both attractive locations in the context of global competition for markets and reliable international partners.

This round table will bring together representatives of several prominent cultural diplomatic institutions to discuss their institutions’ understanding of and approaches to cultural diplomatic activity, and the future prospects for cultural diplomacy in a globalizing world. (CONTINUE READING)

The European Politics & Society Workshop is an interdisciplinary forum for discussing work in progress. It features papers by York faculty members, visiting scholars, and graduate students in the field of European politics and society. Papers are posted in advance and participants come prepared to discuss them in detail. There is no formal presentation. Instead, one or more designated discussants open the discussion. The Workshop meets on designated Thursdays at CCGES. Light refreshments are available starting at 12:15. Discussion starts at 12:30 and ends by 1:30. (CONTINUE READING)

’Life Is All You Get’, the breakthrough film by Wolfgang Becker (’Good Bye, Lenin!’) and co-written by Tom Tykwer (’Run, Lola, Run’), is widely considered to have marked the beginning of a new direction of filmmaking in Germany in the mid-1990s. Gritty and with an eye for authenticity, ’Life Is All You Get’ was the first in a series of works by young German film makers who tackle burning issues of post-unification Germany in an honest, realistic way. ‘Life Is All You Get’ was hugely successful, with critics as well as audiences and both nationally and internationally. (CONTINUE READING)