Council on European Studies
Yale Center for International and Area Studies (YCIAS)
242 Luce Hall, 34 Hillhouse, 432.3423
www.yale.edu/ycias/europeanstudies
M.A.
Graduate Certificate of Concentration in European Studies
Chair
Laura Engelstein
Director of Graduate Studies
Paul Bushkovitch (245 Luce Hall, 432.3423)
Professors
Vladimir Alexandrov (Slavic Languages & Literatures; on leave), Ivo Banac (History; on leave), Dirk Bergemann (Economics), Paul Bushkovitch (History), David Cameron (Political Science), Katerina Clark (Slavic Languages & Literatures), Mirjan Damaska (Law), Edwin Duval (French), Laura Engelstein (History), Robert Evenson (Economics), Paul Freedman (History), Ute Frevert (History), John Gaddis (History), Harvey Goldblatt (Slavic Languages & Literatures), Philip Gorski (Sociology), Cyrus Hamlin (Germanic Languages & Literatures), Benjamin Harshav (Comparative Literature; on leave), Michael Holquist (Comparative Literature; on leave), Stathis Kalyvas (Political Science), Paul Kennedy (History), John Merriman (History), Susan Rose-Ackerman (Law), Frank Snowden (History), Ivan Szelenyi (Sociology), Katie Trumpener (Comparative Literature), Tomas Venclova (Slavic Languages & Literatures), Miroslav Volf (Divinity), Jay Winter (History)
Associate Professors
Hilary Fink (Slavic Languages & Literatures; on leave), Robert Greenberg (Slavic Languages & Literatures), Anna Grzymala-Busse (Political Science), Lawrence King (Sociology), Nicholas Sambanis (Political Science), Timothy Snyder (History; on leave)
Assistant Professors
Keith Darden (Political Science), John MacKay (Slavic Languages & Literatures)
Senior Lectors
Irina Dolgova (Slavic Languages & Literatures), Rita Lipson (Slavic Languages & Literatures), Slobodan Prosperov Novak (Slavic Languages & Literatures)
Participating Staff
Jonathan Brent (Yale University Press), Brian Carter (PIER), Tatjana Lorkovi (Library)
In 1999, the former Council on West European Studies merged with the Council on Russian and East European Studies to create a new interdisciplinary body. The integrated European Studies Council formulates and implements new curricular and research programs reflective of current developments in Europe. The geographical scope of the council’s activities extends from Ireland to the lands of the former Soviet Union. Its definition represents a concept of Europe that embraces the conventional divisions into Western, Central, and Eastern Europe, and is understood to include the Balkans and Russia. In 2000 and 2003, the U.S. Department of Education designated the council a National Resource Center under its HEA Title VI program.
The European Studies Council builds on existing programmatic strengths at Yale, while serving as a catalyst for the development of new initiatives. Yale’s current resources in European Studies are vast and include the activities of many members of the faculty who have teaching and research specialties in the area. Such departments as Comparative Literature, Economics, History, History of Art, Political Science, Slavic Languages and Literatures, and Sociology regularly offer courses with a European focus. These are complemented by the rich offerings and faculty strength of the French, German, Italian, and Spanish and Portuguese language and literature departments, as well as the European resources available in the professional schools and other programs, such as Film Studies. By coordinating Yale’s existing resources, including those in the professional schools, encouraging individual and group research, and promoting an integrated comparative curriculum and degree programs, the council strongly supports the disciplinary and interdisciplinary study of European regions and their interactions. The council is also the home to a special program in European Union Studies and also to the Hellenic Studies program, which offers instruction in Modern Greek language, literature, and culture.
The council administers an undergraduate major and a restructured M.A. program in European and Russian Studies. This M.A. program is unusual in its embrace of the entire spectrum of European nations and cultures. The requirements permit students to choose a particular national or thematic focus, geared to their individual interests and language skills, while demanding that they acquaint themselves with the traditions and issues associated with the other parts of Europe. Students specializing in Russia, for example, will concentrate their efforts in that area, but will also take courses that may concern Europe-wide problems or the countries of Central or Western Europe. In this way, the program translates the political realities and challenges of the post-Cold War era into a flexible and challenging academic opportunity. In addition to the M.A. degree program, the council offers students in the University’s doctoral and other professional degree programs the chance to obtain a Certificate in European Studies, by fulfilling a supplementary curriculum.
The benefits provided to the Yale community by the European Studies Council include not only its status as a HEA Title VI National Resource Center, but also its affi-liation with interuniversity and international organizations that can offer specialized training programs and research grants for graduate students, support conferences among European and American scholars, and subsidize European visitors to Yale. The Fox International Fellowship Program, for example, offers generous fellowship support to qualified students who undertake research at specified institutions in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Russia. Furthermore, the council supplements the regular Yale curriculum with lectures and seminars by eminent European and American scholars, diplomats, and political officials. Each year, the European Commission sponsors a European Union Fellow at Yale, through a grant to the European Union Studies Program. The EU Fellow during the 2002–2003 academic year was Thierry Vissol, who was Head of Unit in the EU Directorate General for Health and Consumer Policy and who taught a graduate course on the euro and an undergraduate course on the EU’s economic and structural policies. In 2003–2004 the EU Fellow was Denis Chaibi, a specialist in international law and EU foreign policy, its trade policy in particular, who came to New Haven from Nicosia, Cyprus, where he was First Secretary and Deputy Head of the European Commission Delegation. Also in 2003–2004, European Studies hosted the distinguished scholar Slobodan Prosperov Novak, who teaches the Serbian and Croatian languages as well as courses on South Slavic literatures and cultures.
Given the special objective of the European Studies Council to encourage research and discussion on projects of a pan-European nature or those involving comparison among several countries, the faculty are available to supervise work on European economic, political, and cultural integration. Specific studies might focus on such themes as labor migration and the issue of immigration in general; the problems of socialist or center parties in countries with or without Communist experiences; the common tendencies in various national literatures or art; or common problems in the relations between European countries and other parts of the world.
Fields of Study
Comparative literature; economics; history; political science; law; Slavic languages and literatures; sociology.
Special Requirements for the M.A. Degree
When applying to the program, students will specify as an area of primary concentration either (1) Russia and Eastern Europe, or (2) Central and Western Europe. Those wishing to focus on Russia and Eastern Europe will need to demonstrate knowledge of Rus-sian or an Eastern European language; those focusing on Central and Western Europe will need to demonstrate knowledge of one of the appropriate languages. All students must complete sixteen term courses (or their equivalent) in the various fields related to European and Russian studies. Students are required to take courses in at least three of the major disciplines relevant to the program (history, literature, social sciences, and law). One of the sixteen term courses may be taken for audit. For students focusing on Russia and Eastern Europe, two of the sixteen required courses (excluding language courses) must concern the nations of Central and Western Europe. For those focusing on Central and Western Europe, two courses must concern Russia and Eastern Europe. Students may substitute a yearlong course of language study for two terms of graduate course work. Under this option the language course may not be taken for audit. Students with previous language preparation may in certain cases receive credit for this work. In all cases, students are required to pass examinations in two European languages (one of which may be Russian) by the end of the third term at Yale. Students with Russian competence must receive the grade of 1+ or higher on the ACTFL/ETS Rating Scale as administered by the Slavic Languages and Literatures department at Yale, including reading, oral, and grammar portions. Students with competence in an East European language (such as Polish, Czech, Ukrainian, Hungarian, and others by special arrangement) or other European languages must take Yale department-administered examinations. A joint degree is available with the School of Management. Interested students must apply separately to the School of Management as well as to European Studies for a joint degree.
The Master’s Thesis
The master’s thesis is based on research in a topic approved by the director of graduate studies and advised by a faculty member with specialized competence in the chosen topic. The thesis is normally written in conjunction with E&RS 950.
Special Requirements for the Graduate Certificate of Concentration in European Studies
Students may pursue the graduate Certificate of Concentration in European Studies in conjunction with graduate-degree programs in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the professional schools. Candidates will specify as an area of primary focus either (1) Russia and Eastern Europe, or (2) Central and Western Europe. Admission is contingent upon the candidate’s acceptance into a Yale graduate-degree program. To complete the certificate, candidates must demonstrate expertise in the area through their major graduate or professional field, as well as show command of the diverse interdisciplinary, geographic, and cultural-linguistic approaches associated with expertise in the area of concentration. Award of the certificate, beyond fulfilling the relevant requirements, is contingent on successful completion of the candidate’s Yale University degree program. For general certificate guidelines, see the YCIAS section (under Research Institutes) in this bulletin.
Specific Requirements
1. Language proficiency in two modern European languages, in addition to English. For each language students must demonstrate the equivalent ability of two years of language study at Yale with a grade of HP or better. Language proficiency must encompass reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills plus grammar. Students may demonstrate proficiency through completing course work, by testing at Yale, or by other means as approved by the council adviser. Those wishing to focus on Russia and Eastern Europe will need to demonstrate knowledge of Russian or an Eastern European language; those focusing on Central and Western Europe will need to demonstrate knowledge of one of the appropriate languages.
2. Six courses in the area of concentration:
a. a core course on Europe as a whole;
b. of the remaining five non-core courses, three must offer transnational approaches to Europe-related issues or concern countries other than the student’s primary focus. For students focusing on Russia and Eastern Europe, at least one course must concern the nations of Central and Western Europe. For those focusing on Central and Western Europe, at least one course must concern Russia and Eastern Europe.
The courses should also include a variety of disciplines, and only two courses may be “directed readings” or “independent study.” No more than four of the six courses may count from any one discipline or school. Courses may count toward the student’s degree, as well as toward the certificate. A minimum grade of HP must be obtained for the course to be counted toward the certificate. Courses from the student’s home department are eligible.
3. Interdisciplinary research paper written either:
a. in the context of one of the five non-core courses, or
b. as independent work under faculty supervision, counting for one course credit—in other words, taking the place of one of the six required courses.
A qualifying research paper is required to demonstrate field-specific research ability focused on the area of concentration. After they have completed substantial course work in the area, students must seek approval from the council faculty adviser for the research project they propose as the qualifying paper. Normally, students will submit their proposals no later than the fourth week of the term in which they plan to submit the qualifying paper.
The paper will be read by two faculty members selected by the council adviser. The readers will be evaluating the paper for the quality of research, knowledge of the relevant literature, and the depth of analysis of the topic. The qualifying paper must be fully footnoted and have a complete bibliography.
Progress Reports and Filing for the Award of the Graduate Certificate of Concentration
Students should submit a progress report along with a copy of their unofficial transcript to the council faculty adviser at the end of each term.
A student who intends to file for the final award of the certificate should contact the council no later than the end of the term prior to award. No later than the fourth week of the term of the expected award, the candidate should demonstrate how he/she has or will have completed all the requirements in a timely fashion.
At the end of the term as grades are finalized, the council will confirm that the candidate is cleared to receive the home degree and has fulfilled all the requirements of the certificate. Students may elect to retrieve the certificate award in person from the council after commencement. Otherwise, the council will send the certificate award to the student by mail after commencement.
Program materials are available upon request to the Council on European Studies, Yale University, PO Box 208206, New Haven, CT 06520-8206.
Courses
E&RS 628bu, Germany and Eastern Europe: Literature and Film. Katie Trumpener.
MW 2.30–3.45
Juxtaposing German with selected Polish, Czech, Hungarian, and Russian texts, this course explores the twentieth-century encounter between Central and Eastern Europe, and the ways German expansionism (from imperialism to Nazism) shaped cultural identity in both Europes. Particular focus on divergences in German and Eastern European cultural memory, on postwar German attempts at expiation and “decolonization” (particularly within the shared communist framework of the Warsaw Pact), and on how local cultural and political conditions shaped regional versions of modernism, magical realism, and feminist analysis. All texts available in English translations (although knowledge of relevant languages welcome). Texts by Musil, Roth, Hasek, Döblin, Jiri Weiss, Tadeusz Borowski, Christa Wolf, Miron Bialoslewski, Grass, Bobrowski, Herta Müller. Films by Pudovkin, Munk, Konrad Wolf, Szabo, Jonas Mekas, Egon Günther, Petra Tschörtner. Also CPLT 928bu, FILM 769bu, GMAN 928b.
E&RS 646b, Conflicts in International Relations. Vitaly Kozyrev.
MW 1.30–3.20
Introduction to theoretical and practical approaches to conflicts and their resolutions. The course consists of two sections, focused on: (1) the phenomenon of conflict in international relations in the late twentieth century and its theoretical interpretations (political, economic, ideological, religious, ethnic, national, territorial), and (2) the problem of conflict resolution through the peacemaking process. Special attention is paid to international humanitarian law and the concept of “military crime.” Also INRL 546b.
E&RS 692bu, Russian Film. John MacKay.
Th 7–8.50 p.m., screenings M 9 p.m.
A historical overview of the development of Russian film with special attention to the classics of directors like Eisenstein and Vertov. Russian film examined in terms both of its contribution to film theory and practice and of the specific historical and cultural contexts of the major films. Also CPLT 916bu, FILM 773bu, RUSS 744bu.
E&RS 940a or b, Independent Study.
By arrangement with faculty.
E&RS 950a or b, Master’s Thesis.
By arrangement with faculty.