History of Political Relations between North America and Europe
PROF. GIANLUCA PASTORI
COURSE AIMS
This course is in two parts. The general section aims to offer students an historical
framework of the “American peculiarity” and of the political, economic, and
military relations occurring between the United States and Europe, with a special
emphasis on the Twentieth century. The monographic section concentrates on the
issue of security, from the beginnings of the Atlantic Alliance to its development
after the end of the Cold War. Students wishing to, attend this course should have a
sound knowledge of the History of International Relations and Institutions.
COURSE CONTENTS
GENERAL SECTION – Relations between the United States and Europe
1. From the thirteen colonies to independence: the United States as a “political
experiment”.
2. The period of isolationism and the internal expansion.
3. Theodore Roosevelt and the fin de siècle imperialism.
4. The First World War: at the roots of the “Wilsonian” diplomacy.
5. From the Roaring Twenties to the New Deal.
6. The Second World War and the new international balance.
7. Truman, Kennedy, Reagan: politics and economics during the Cold War.
8. The Nineties: the New World Order and the “unipolar drift”.
SPECIALIST SECTION – American security dilemmas (1945-2003)
1. The end of the Second World War and the premises for American security.
2. The roots of the commitment: from the Truman Doctrine to the Vandenberg
resolution.
3. From the Atlantic Alliance to NATO: the United States compared with Europe.
4. Deténte and competition: the highs and lows of European security 1953-1989.
5. The end of the Cold War and the new frontiers of security: the origins of the
‘out of area’.
6. NATO and European security architecture in the Nineties.
7. The return of the world commitment: the United States and the world ‘safe for
democracy’.
8. From the Iraq crisis to Obama’s ‘restart’: the future of US-Europe relations.
READING LIST
Compulsory readings
G. MAMMARELLA, Europa e Stati Uniti dopo la guerra fredda, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2010.
L. DUCCI-S. LUCONI-M. PETRELLI, Le relazioni tra Italia e Stati Uniti. Dal Risorgimento alle
conseguenze dell’11 settembre, Carocci, Roma, 2012.
3. M. DE LEONARDIS-G. PASTORI (edited by), Le nuove sfide per la forza militare e la diplomazia: il
ruolo della NATO, Monduzzi, Bologna, 2007.
1.
2.
In addition to the compulsory readings, students have to choose one of the books in the list
that will be published on the lecturer’s webpage after the beginning of the course.
Full-time students may substitute volume (1) with the course notes.
Any further reading material will be posted on the lecturer’s webpage.
TEACHING METHOD
The course includes lectures, conferences and guest speakers, and in-depth seminars on
specific topics; during the course, full-time students may arrange projects with the lecturer.
ASSESSMENT METHOD
Final oral examination based on the two sections of the course, students will also be
assessed on their level of participation in lectures and seminars; full-time students may
substitute part of the examination with an individual or team project to be arranged with the
lecturer.
NOTES
Further information can be found on the lecturer's webpage at
http://docenti.unicatt.it/web/searchByName.do?language=ENG or on the Faculty notice
board.