The May Term in Luxembourg
Academics
Students may enroll in only one of the two courses offered each May Term. Enrolled Clark students will receive normal day-college credit (1 full unit). Students from other schools must make arrangements to have credits transferred to their home institution (1 Clark unit is equivalent to 4 credits). All courses are taught in English.
May Term 2013 Courses
From Total War to European Union (History 006) will be taught by Theresa McBride, Professor of History. The fascinating and tragic history of Europe in the twentieth century was marked twice by total war. World War I laid the foundation for the rise of Fascism and Nazism in the 1920s and 1930s, but the Second World War, even more destructive than the first, was followed by the extraordinary period of peace among the European states and the integration of these states into the European Union. Luxembourg is at the center of this history, both as a battleground and as a founding member of the European community. Picturesque Remich on the Moselle River is near the site of the signing of the “Schengen Agreements” that allow people to travel, study and work throughout the EU. While the current crisis in the Eurozone economies has challenged monetary union, the idea of Europe remains a strong bond among the 27 member states. From our residence in Remich, we will explore cultural and historical sites in France, Germany and Luxembourg.
Open to first-year students. This course has no prerequisites. It fulfills the History Perspective at Clark. At Holy Cross it is approved for the Historical Studies Common Area, the Peace and Conflict Studies concentration, and counts as a European history course toward the History major.
Imagining Europe: Space, Borders, And Cultural Identities (English 004) will be taught by Stephen Levin, Professor of English. Questions raised in this course include: What is “Europe”? Is it defined primarily by its cultural values? Geographic boundaries? A shared history? A commitment to a set of political ideals? A common economic destiny. How are the identities of Europe negotiated and produced? These questions have only become more urgent in light of the current crisis in the Eurozone, which has placed in jeopardy the Maastricht vision of “an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe.” This course examines competing ideas of Europe in the contemporary period by focusing on the language of visual culture. We will be especially interested in how Europe “remembers” the past in its public museums, monuments, and heritage sites; the inclusion or exclusion of Europe’s internal “others” (Jews and Muslims particularly); and the globalization of European languages by “migrant” writers. Our main focus will be on the icons and symbols that become flashpoints in the cultural politics of Europe, such as the burqa (a veil worn by Islamic women) in France, or political cartoons that challenge religious inclusion. Field trips are planned to France and Germany.
Open to first-year students. This course has no prerequisites. It fulfills the Language Culture Perspective at Clark and the Literature Common Area at Holy Cross.