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European politics is complex and many-layered. This course gives a general overview of the development of political forces in 20th and 21st century Europe, introducing students to some key themes in European civil society such as the ways in which different social groups have mobilized politically; broader issues such as public opinion, popular memory and the power of symbols; the formal structures of European politics and how they have been shaped by and shape this civil society. It introduces students to some overarching themes shared by political parties, electoral systems, parliaments and governments across the European continent as well as some major contrasts between them. Finally, the course also introduces some of the key international political institutions in Europe.
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