This workshop is full
New this year!
This workshop will focus on understanding today’s Europe in all its complexity.
Why? After the Cold War ended, there was a widespread sense that democracy would prevail, peace and prosperity would follow, and the horrors of fascism and communism were past. In the intervening years, that quaint notion has fractured: war in Yugoslavia (1990s); Islamist terrorist attacks on European cities after 9/11; the global financial crisis of 2008; Putin’s seizure of Georgia (2008) and then Crimea (2014). The migration and refugee crisis that erupted in 2015 was not only a human tragedy but shook European politics, leading to right wing populist movements in both eastern and western Europe. The EU was badly shaken by Brexit, then COVID 19, and in February 2022, Putin’s attack on Ukraine. Today, said the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, “Europe faces a clear and present danger on a scale that none of us has seen in our adult lifetime.”
The workshop will look at the forces at play since the end of the Cold War in 1989, the “cascade of crises” (Timothy Garton-Ash) which hit European states after the global financial crisis of 2008, and the unfolding political, economic, military, climate, and security challenges today. We’ll look at the institutional frameworks of the EU and NATO, the different political paths taken by EU members and focus on particular themes like the migration and refugee crisis; the rise of the far right; energy security; cyberwarfare; the EU’s radically changed geopolitical situation; as well as topics suggested by workshop participants. We will encourage those interested in individual countries, European leaders or opinion-makers to present their roles in shaping developments.
Background reading will include Timothy Garton-Ash’s, Homelands (2021); Crisis and Renewal: An Introduction to the EU by John Van Oudenaren (2022); Roller- Coaster: Europe 1950-2017 by Ian Kershaw; (2018); as well as relevant articles, podcasts and films.
Facilitators
Gwyneth Buck has long been fascinated by European history and politics. She has degrees in modern history and French/English translation; and a lifelong love of choral music led her to learn German in her fifties. After retirement from York University administration she joined the Academy in 2012 and has co-facilitated a workshop on Contemporary Quebec (with Mandy Thomson).
Mandy Thomson is a long-time Academy volunteer, learner and Facilitator. After retiring from education administration, she has spent her retirement volunteering in non-profit governance. Her first workshop at the Academy, back in 2005, was about the European Union. She looks forward with great anticipation to examining anew with Academy colleagues, the rollercoaster ride that Europe is experiencing as it finds its role in the evolving world order.
Suggested Reading
Timothy Garton Ash, Homelands: A Personal History of Europe, 2023. (TPL has 27 copies, 20 e Books)
See also https://www.timothygartonash.com (his homepage, a treasure trove of commentary, essays, recent talks, newsletter)
Other useful resources
Ian Kershaw, Rollercoaster: Europe 1950-2017 (TPL has 10 copies)
John van Oudenaren, Crisis and Renewal: An introduction to the European Union, 2022
( a very comprehensive analysis of the evolution of the EU) (TPL has 2 copies)
Kati Marton, The Chancellor: The Remarkable Odyssey of Angela Merkel, 2021 (TPL has 24 copies, 7 eBooks)
Frank Trentmann. Out of the Darkness: The Germans 1994-2022, 2024 (TPL has 18 copies, 1 eBook)
Magazines, Newspapers
The Guardian (especially This is Europe weekly newsletter, online)
The Economist
Foreign Affairs (especially Margaret McMillan “Stress Test”, Jan/Feb 2025)
Podcasts (a few of many, to explore)
EU Confidential/Politico
Inside Europe/DW
The Rest is History, episode April 16, 2023: East Germany: Life behind the Iron Curtain – interview with German British historian Katja Hoyer (including reflections on elections and political unrest in the former East Germany)
From the Post Cold War optimism of the 1990’s to “cascade of crises” 2008 – 2022.
Recently, the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, said, “Europe faces a clear and present danger on a scale that none of us has seen in our adult lifetime.” The crises battering Europe since the end of the Cold War are outlined in Timothy Garton Ash’s Homelands (2023): war in Yugoslavia (1990s); Islamist terrorist attacks on European cities after 9/11; the global financial crisis of 2008; Putin’s seizure of Georgia (2008) and then Crimea (2014).
The migration and refugee crisis that erupted in 2015 was not only a human tragedy but altered European politics, leading to right wing populist movements in both eastern and western Europe. The EU was badly shaken by Brexit, then COVID 19, and in February 2022, Putin’s attack on Ukraine. Since then, peace negotiations have failed, the Trump administration has threatened global trade and security, and the future of NATO is in jeopardy.
Given this series of crises, what do you see as the major challenges facing Europe and the EU today?
Rise of populism in Europe- the Far Right
Across Europe, populist parties of the right have surged in recent elections – in Italy, Poland, the Netherlands and Austria, France and Germany. Just this week (early June 2025) Poland’s presidential election was won narrowly by a far-right ultranationalist candidate and admirer of Donald Trump, defeating the mayor of Warsaw, a liberal-democratic political scientist and member of the European Parliament.
What are the major factors leading to the ascendancy of the far-right populist parties in Europe? And how would you characterize the “far right” or “radical right” or alt-right?
Europe’s economic challenges
Although the EU is one of the largest economies and top three global trading blocks in the world (while offering an exemplary standard of living for its citizens), it faces economic challenges both internal and external. Internally these include: differing economic strengths among countries which regularly lead to policy tensions around inflation, deficit reduction and fiscal flexibility; an aging population and irregular migration patterns which limit future labour market sustainability; and variable and burdensome regulation and the fact that the EU really isn’t a single market which hampers productivity and growth (Draghi/Letta, “More Europe Where It Matters”)
Further external challenges beg the question:
Will the present economic uncertainty and volatile world headwinds (lingering Ukraine and Middle East wars, Trump’s trade shocks, America’s pullback as a defence and economic ally, Russia’s existential threat and China’s economic threat) upend Europe’s future growth or can it pivot to safeguard its position on the global stage so it can stand on its won by: achieving a resilient and affordable energy grid capitalizing on its prowess in decarbonization; revitalizing and deepening its capital markets to support investment in competitive digital innovation; and reaping the benefits of a single unified EU market and monetary union?
Cyberwarfare and technological security
On the one hand Europeans have developed an impressive arsenal of security infrastructure against the disruption, disinformation and interference in elections reaped on them by Russia, China and to a lesser extent Iran and India in their attempts to undermine EU stability. Further they have one of the world’s most robust systems of cyber regulation to protect its citizens and rein in the incursion of Big Tech, with the EU Commission’s Digital Services Act (and have slapped significant fines on the likes of Google, Amazon and Apple).
On the other hand, achieving world prominence in digital investment and innovation remains elusive as EU countries lag China and the US in AI, semi-conductors, 5G coverage and digital infrastructure critical to long-term technological security.
EU External relations with US, China, Russia, etc.
As if the existential threat that Putin’s need for constant war to stay in power poses to the stability of the EU wasn’t enough, Europe finds itself caught in the geopolitical balancing act of three constantly evolving strong powers playing havoc with European trade, energy, technology and defence stability.
The U.S. has not only engaged the EU in a trade war, but it has effectively undone its 80 year post war defence alliances with Europe. Decoupling from the American defence shield, creating new global defence alliances and fortifying its own defence industries (including nuclear) will need to be EU priorities.
In the case of China, Europe needs to keep China’s economic and supply chain support to decarbonize while at the same time, pushing against China’s overt attempts to thwart EU industries by dumping huge amounts of cheap goods into their markets and its more covert cyberwarfare attempts to undermine European stability.
If Europe can fortify its own capabilities in trade, energy, technology and defence can it become a key lynchpin in establishing an open and democratic fourth centre of global power buoyed by new alliances with the global south to counter the machinations of the three strong-men autocratic systems?
Germany’s role in Europe
Germany has the world’s 3rd largest economy and has been a leader within the EU. However, its economy has been in recession for the past three years, tensions persist between the former West and former East, and the rise of the far right AfD (Alternative for Germany) in both recent state(Sept, 2024) and federal (Feb. 2025) elections, as a neo-Nazi, pro-Putin, anti-migration, anti EU sentiment party , has “changed Germany’s political temperature” (Doug Saunders, Globe and Mail, Sept 7, 2024). Germany has now suspended Angela Merkel’s 2009 “debt brake” and moved to significantly increase its defence spending.
What explains the increasing support for the AfD in today’s Germany? How would you evaluate Angela Merkel’s legacy as Chancellor from 2005 to 2021? What do you see as the future role of Germany within the EU?
“Illiberal Democracy”: Hungary under Orban
It has been said that Trump’s assaults on the US judiciary, public service, media, universities, cities, basic freedoms and international alliances “all look eerily familiar to Hungarians.” Viktor Orban’s demolition of democracy since his first and subsequent elections as President of Hungary in 2010 in silencing his critics, manipulating the courts, punishing universities, taking over most of the media, has been called “illiberal democracy”, and has so far stymied the EU. Timothy Garton Ash (see chapter “Demolition” in Homelands) has analyzed Orban’s successes as “cheerleader for the anti-immigrant populist right across Europe” and sees his illiberalism as a major threat to the EU.
Do you see Orban’s demolition of democracy differently from Timothy Garton Ash?
“Democratic Backsliding”: Poland
As Garton Ash explains in the same chapter, Poland’s details are different but the erosion of democracy there has many similarities with Hungary. “The decisive round of Poland’s presidential election on Sunday [June 1] spewed a blanket of gloom across the EU, delivering a surprise win for a conservative populist backed by Donald Trump and the forces of Eurosceptic nationalism.” The Guardian “This is Europe” (June 4, 2025).
There are deep divisions within Polish society, as represented by the two contenders for the Presidency: one supports liberal democracy and is pro EU, the other leans to authoritarianism and is a staunch critic of the EU. Help us to understand how these divisions have emerged from Poland’s past.
Europe’s Greens, environmental standards and regulation, energy debates, decarbonization
European quality of life: the welfare state, health care, state support of culture
Canada/Europe relations today
A role-playing exercise: “You are a former Canadian ambassador (or policy adviser, etc.) to an EU country (your choice). Or perhaps you have had dealings with European colleagues in another capacity. You have been asked by PM Carney to advise Cabinet on Canadian trade and defence policy with EU partners in the wake of Trump’s recent tariff and defence pronouncements. We look forward to hearing your report.
An assessment of the achievements of one or more (former and contemporary) European leaders, opinion-makers: e.g. political leaders, city mayors, public intellectuals, etc.
A few possibilities:
- Angela Merkel, Chancellor, Germany 2005 to 2021
- Joschka Fischer, leading figure in German Green Party, Foreign Minister under Gerhard Schroeder, 1998-2005
- Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris since 2014
- Rafal Trzaskowski, Mayor of Warsaw, 2018, re-elected 2024, candidate in 2025 Presidential Campaign
- Ahmed Aboutaleb, Mayor of Rotterdam, 2009-2024
- Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London since 2016, former Remain campaigner
- Daniel Cohn-Bendit, French-German 68er, public intellectual
- Mario Draghi, Italian economist, former President, European Central Bank 2011-2019, Prime Minister of Italy 2021-2022
- Christina Lagarde, President, European Central Bank since 2019
- Ursula von der Leyen, President, European Commission since 2019
…. these are just a few suggestions
Further resource details
https://alonewithbooks.com/best-european-history-books/#best-european-history-books
lists the “Best European History Books”. Thanks to Paul Marmion for this list.
- Bloodlands by Timothy Snyder
- Gates of Europe by Serhii Plokhy
- To Hell and Back by Ian Kershaw
- The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan
- Roller Coaster Europe by Ian Kershaw
- The Shortest History of Europe by John Hirst
- Vanished Kingdoms: The History of Half-Forgotten Europe by Norman Davies
- Iron Curtain: The Crushing of Eastern Europe by Anne Applebaum
- In Europe: Travels Through the Twentieth Century by Geert Mak
- If This Is A Man by Primo Levi
- Homage To Catalonia by George Orwell