Stephen G. Gross
“The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become.” – Charles Dubois.
Below are some courses that I’ve recently taught or will be teaching in the future
Twentieth Century European Capitalism
Nineteenth century Europe was the birthplace of economic liberalism. The gold standard, the night watchman state, and the writings of the classical economists laid the foundation for a golden age of laissez-faire capitalism centered on the nation-state. More than a century later we now see Europe as the birthplace of the modern welfare state, a pioneer of organized capitalism, the host for an experiment in fascist and communist economics, and now the center for a supra-national process of economic cooperation: the European Union.
This course traces the evolution of European capitalism during the twentieth century, from a laissez-faire to a social market economy. Throughout the semester we will study the key themes and turning points that shaped Europe’s economic development: the Great Depression, the world wars; alternative ways of organizing economic life under fascism and communism; the stagnation of the 1970s; and finally the European economic integration.
World Economic History, 1750–1914
This course surveys major trends in economic history from the Industrial Revolution to the eve of the First World War. Over the course of the semester we will discuss the causes of the Industrial Revolution in Europe and the interaction between Europe and other regions of the world through imperialism, trade, migration, and finance. The course will revolve around several questions. Why did the industrial revolution happen in Britain and not elsewhere, and should it truly be considered a “revolution”? Why did some regions of the world follow Britain’s lead and industrialize while others did not? To what extent was European development based on the “underdevelopment” of other parts of the world? And ultimately, who were the winners and losers of globalization in the late 19th century?
European Fascisms
Fascism, so one recent history has argued, posed the greatest challenge to liberal democracy during the 20th century. Fascism offered new answers to the problems arising from mass politics, industrialization, technology, and imperialism, and in doing so it sought to remake society, the continent of Europe, and the world. This course examines fascism as a product of the problems arising from modernity, and to seeks to understand how and why fascist Europe took a violent path that ended in world war and genocide.
We will study the development of fascism in interwar Europe in a comparative perspective, looking at it as an ideology, as a series of social movements, and eventually as a set of regimes that governed people’s lives. The primary focus will lie on National Socialist Germany and Fascist Italy, but several weeks will be devoted both to Eastern European movements and the Spanish Civil War. Beginning with the intellectual origins of fascism in 19th century Europe, we will move on to examine why fascist movements seized power in certain states but not others. We will then study how fascist regimes, once in power, cultivated popular support and legitimacy; how they developed their own systems of economics, aesthetics, science, and race; how these regimes shaped the everyday lives of their subjects; and how they radicalized with the onset of war. We will conclude by trying to understand how these illiberal regimes can best be interpreted—totalitarian, fascist, racist, or as unique phenomena—and what this means for political culture today.
Nationalism and Ethnic Cleansing in 20th Century Europe
The term ethnic cleansing first saw widespread use in the 1990s, but the mass expulsion or killing of national, ethnic, and religious groups has a long history, particularly in Europe. Over the course of the 20th century tens of millions of people were killed or displaced by various European regimes in the name of creating a stronger nation-state. As a consequence, the Europe of 1900 that was composed of polyglot, multi-national empires was transformed into a region of relatively homogenous nation-states.
This course explores case studies of ethnic cleansing in the Balkans and Turkey, in Central and Eastern Europe, and in certain European colonies. Over the course of the semester we will explore the relationship between nationalism, nation-state building, and ethnic cleansing or genocide. What motivates states, groups, and individuals to commit mass atrocities? What are the costs and consequences of a policy of ethnic cleansing? How has the international community responded to ethnic violence in Europe? And how have social scientists conceptualized and compared different cases of ethnic cleansing?
Contemporary Theories of Political Economy and Globalization
This course introduces students to some of the major questions of political economy, economic development, and globalization since 1945. What role should the government play in the market? Do firms have a social responsibility? What policies and institutions stimulate economic development, and how do these differ from country to country? When do foreign trade and foreign investment create relationships of dependency and exploitation? How much power should be vested in international institutions versus the nation-state? How can we balance a concern for the environment and labor rights with the need for economic growth?
Over the course of the semester, we will explore how intellectuals from a variety of disciplines have approached these questions of political economy and globalization since 1945, paying particular attention to the relationship between theorists and their historical context. In the first half of the course we will examine different and often conflicting theories on the nature of individuals and firms, the proper relationship between the market and the state, and the role that institutions and incentives play in shaping human behavior. In the second half of the course we explore how intellectuals have tackled issues related to globalization, such as economic development and underdevelopment, American hegemony and neo-liberalism, post-communist transitions, and international economic institutions.
A Global History of World War II: The Zenith and End of Empire
World War Two changed the world more than any other conflict in the 19th or 20th centuries. The bid by Nazi Germany and authoritarian Japan to create radically racist imperial spheres brought the old empires of Great Britain, France, and the Netherlands to their knees. In its genocide and brutal occupation policies the Nazi regime imposed a colonial-style rule in Europe itself, the trauma of which Europe is still dealing with today. Through its military expansion Japan created the space for national movements to flourish in India and Southeast Asia, and eventually turn decolonization into a reality. The war firmly entrenched communist economic regimes in Eastern Europe, and it moved Western Europe far to the left socially and economically. And finally, the war forced European and American leaders to rethink the meaning of democracy, individual rights, and the place of the nation-state in a modern world.
This class will trace the origins, course, and legacy of the Second World War, viewing it as a contest among empires and countries aspiring to create empires. Although military topics will be covered, this is primarily a political, economic, and international history of the Second World War. We will pay particular attention to several thematic questions. Why did Germany and Japan seek to create empires, and how did their imperial projects differ from those of Western European powers, in their ideology and practice? How did the war change the way people thought about questions of economics, society, and class? How did the war shape American and European plans for a new, postwar international order? And finally, to what extent did the war bring an end to imperialism as a form of political governance?
20th Century Germany
Germany’s 20th century has been described as a shattered past. Twice in the first half of the century Germany brought war to Europe. Between 1933 and 1945 the virulently racist Nazi regime murdered millions of Jews, Poles, Gypsies, and homosexuals. After 1945 Germany was a main site in the Cold War, the German nation separated by a wall and divided into two rival states. Yet since 1945 West Germany developed, in many ways, into a model of stability, democracy, and prosperity. Today reunited Germany is a functioning democracy, a central player in the European Union, a proponent of multilateralism and human rights in international affairs, and a pioneer in environmental policy. How can we make sense of Germany’s complex and contradictory experience in the 20th century?
This course will explore German history from World War I to the present by focusing on four interconnected themes. First, we will examine Germany’s rocky road from an authoritarian political culture to one that is liberal and democratic. Second, we will investigate the origins of the Holocaust, as well as the traumatic legacy this disaster had on Germans after 1945. Third, we will explore Germany’s recurring penchant for modernity, particularly in economic matters but also in the field of cultural production. Finally, we will look at how Germany’s relationship with Europe and the world has evolved from an aggressive imperialism to more subtle techniques of achieving foreign policy goals through economic integration and transnational cooperation.
20th Century European International History
In 1870 Europe was on the ascendant: its empires governed much of the world, its economies performed with vigor, and its intellectuals set the norms and institutions that shaped international relations in the nineteenth century. London, Paris, Berlin, and Vienna were the center of global diplomacy and finance. But the great depression and the world wars of the twentieth century forever changed Europe’s place in the world, forcing its politicians to carve out a new role for their nation-states as partners rather than leaders in the international system.
This course will explore European international relations from the late 19th century to the present by focusing on four interconnected developments. First, we will examine how the transformation of the international system away from a multi-polar world affected the states and peoples of Europe. How did European statesmen manage the consequences of the world wars and the growing power of America and the Soviet Union? Second, we will study the relationship between economic development and foreign policy. How has globalization, domestic growth, and economic turmoil shaped the possibilities open to European statesmen? Third, this course will explore the rise and fall of European imperialism. How did Europeans’ perceived civilizing mission and their experience with decolonization shape their relationship with the rest of the world? Fourth, we will investigate the reasons why European leaders increasingly turned to international and transnational organizations to solve challenges abroad. Why have Europe’s leaders chosen the path of European economic and legal integration? And how have European statesmen managed the thorny issues of minority rights and human rights?
Nineteenth century Europe was the birthplace of economic liberalism. The gold standard, the night watchman state, and the writings of the classical economists laid the foundation for a golden age of laissez-faire capitalism centered on the nation-state. More than a century later we now see Europe as the birthplace of the modern welfare state, a pioneer of organized capitalism, the host for an experiment in fascist and communist economics, and now the center for a supra-national process of economic cooperation: the European Union.
This course traces the evolution of European capitalism during the twentieth century, from a laissez-faire to a social market economy. Throughout the semester we will study the key themes and turning points that shaped Europe’s economic development: the Great Depression, the world wars; alternative ways of organizing economic life under fascism and communism; the stagnation of the 1970s; and finally the European economic integration.
World Economic History, 1750–1914
This course surveys major trends in economic history from the Industrial Revolution to the eve of the First World War. Over the course of the semester we will discuss the causes of the Industrial Revolution in Europe and the interaction between Europe and other regions of the world through imperialism, trade, migration, and finance. The course will revolve around several questions. Why did the industrial revolution happen in Britain and not elsewhere, and should it truly be considered a “revolution”? Why did some regions of the world follow Britain’s lead and industrialize while others did not? To what extent was European development based on the “underdevelopment” of other parts of the world? And ultimately, who were the winners and losers of globalization in the late 19th century?
European Fascisms
Fascism, so one recent history has argued, posed the greatest challenge to liberal democracy during the 20th century. Fascism offered new answers to the problems arising from mass politics, industrialization, technology, and imperialism, and in doing so it sought to remake society, the continent of Europe, and the world. This course examines fascism as a product of the problems arising from modernity, and to seeks to understand how and why fascist Europe took a violent path that ended in world war and genocide.
We will study the development of fascism in interwar Europe in a comparative perspective, looking at it as an ideology, as a series of social movements, and eventually as a set of regimes that governed people’s lives. The primary focus will lie on National Socialist Germany and Fascist Italy, but several weeks will be devoted both to Eastern European movements and the Spanish Civil War. Beginning with the intellectual origins of fascism in 19th century Europe, we will move on to examine why fascist movements seized power in certain states but not others. We will then study how fascist regimes, once in power, cultivated popular support and legitimacy; how they developed their own systems of economics, aesthetics, science, and race; how these regimes shaped the everyday lives of their subjects; and how they radicalized with the onset of war. We will conclude by trying to understand how these illiberal regimes can best be interpreted—totalitarian, fascist, racist, or as unique phenomena—and what this means for political culture today.
Nationalism and Ethnic Cleansing in 20th Century Europe
The term ethnic cleansing first saw widespread use in the 1990s, but the mass expulsion or killing of national, ethnic, and religious groups has a long history, particularly in Europe. Over the course of the 20th century tens of millions of people were killed or displaced by various European regimes in the name of creating a stronger nation-state. As a consequence, the Europe of 1900 that was composed of polyglot, multi-national empires was transformed into a region of relatively homogenous nation-states.
This course explores case studies of ethnic cleansing in the Balkans and Turkey, in Central and Eastern Europe, and in certain European colonies. Over the course of the semester we will explore the relationship between nationalism, nation-state building, and ethnic cleansing or genocide. What motivates states, groups, and individuals to commit mass atrocities? What are the costs and consequences of a policy of ethnic cleansing? How has the international community responded to ethnic violence in Europe? And how have social scientists conceptualized and compared different cases of ethnic cleansing?
Contemporary Theories of Political Economy and Globalization
This course introduces students to some of the major questions of political economy, economic development, and globalization since 1945. What role should the government play in the market? Do firms have a social responsibility? What policies and institutions stimulate economic development, and how do these differ from country to country? When do foreign trade and foreign investment create relationships of dependency and exploitation? How much power should be vested in international institutions versus the nation-state? How can we balance a concern for the environment and labor rights with the need for economic growth?
Over the course of the semester, we will explore how intellectuals from a variety of disciplines have approached these questions of political economy and globalization since 1945, paying particular attention to the relationship between theorists and their historical context. In the first half of the course we will examine different and often conflicting theories on the nature of individuals and firms, the proper relationship between the market and the state, and the role that institutions and incentives play in shaping human behavior. In the second half of the course we explore how intellectuals have tackled issues related to globalization, such as economic development and underdevelopment, American hegemony and neo-liberalism, post-communist transitions, and international economic institutions.
A Global History of World War II: The Zenith and End of Empire
World War Two changed the world more than any other conflict in the 19th or 20th centuries. The bid by Nazi Germany and authoritarian Japan to create radically racist imperial spheres brought the old empires of Great Britain, France, and the Netherlands to their knees. In its genocide and brutal occupation policies the Nazi regime imposed a colonial-style rule in Europe itself, the trauma of which Europe is still dealing with today. Through its military expansion Japan created the space for national movements to flourish in India and Southeast Asia, and eventually turn decolonization into a reality. The war firmly entrenched communist economic regimes in Eastern Europe, and it moved Western Europe far to the left socially and economically. And finally, the war forced European and American leaders to rethink the meaning of democracy, individual rights, and the place of the nation-state in a modern world.
This class will trace the origins, course, and legacy of the Second World War, viewing it as a contest among empires and countries aspiring to create empires. Although military topics will be covered, this is primarily a political, economic, and international history of the Second World War. We will pay particular attention to several thematic questions. Why did Germany and Japan seek to create empires, and how did their imperial projects differ from those of Western European powers, in their ideology and practice? How did the war change the way people thought about questions of economics, society, and class? How did the war shape American and European plans for a new, postwar international order? And finally, to what extent did the war bring an end to imperialism as a form of political governance?
20th Century Germany
Germany’s 20th century has been described as a shattered past. Twice in the first half of the century Germany brought war to Europe. Between 1933 and 1945 the virulently racist Nazi regime murdered millions of Jews, Poles, Gypsies, and homosexuals. After 1945 Germany was a main site in the Cold War, the German nation separated by a wall and divided into two rival states. Yet since 1945 West Germany developed, in many ways, into a model of stability, democracy, and prosperity. Today reunited Germany is a functioning democracy, a central player in the European Union, a proponent of multilateralism and human rights in international affairs, and a pioneer in environmental policy. How can we make sense of Germany’s complex and contradictory experience in the 20th century?
This course will explore German history from World War I to the present by focusing on four interconnected themes. First, we will examine Germany’s rocky road from an authoritarian political culture to one that is liberal and democratic. Second, we will investigate the origins of the Holocaust, as well as the traumatic legacy this disaster had on Germans after 1945. Third, we will explore Germany’s recurring penchant for modernity, particularly in economic matters but also in the field of cultural production. Finally, we will look at how Germany’s relationship with Europe and the world has evolved from an aggressive imperialism to more subtle techniques of achieving foreign policy goals through economic integration and transnational cooperation.
20th Century European International History
In 1870 Europe was on the ascendant: its empires governed much of the world, its economies performed with vigor, and its intellectuals set the norms and institutions that shaped international relations in the nineteenth century. London, Paris, Berlin, and Vienna were the center of global diplomacy and finance. But the great depression and the world wars of the twentieth century forever changed Europe’s place in the world, forcing its politicians to carve out a new role for their nation-states as partners rather than leaders in the international system.
This course will explore European international relations from the late 19th century to the present by focusing on four interconnected developments. First, we will examine how the transformation of the international system away from a multi-polar world affected the states and peoples of Europe. How did European statesmen manage the consequences of the world wars and the growing power of America and the Soviet Union? Second, we will study the relationship between economic development and foreign policy. How has globalization, domestic growth, and economic turmoil shaped the possibilities open to European statesmen? Third, this course will explore the rise and fall of European imperialism. How did Europeans’ perceived civilizing mission and their experience with decolonization shape their relationship with the rest of the world? Fourth, we will investigate the reasons why European leaders increasingly turned to international and transnational organizations to solve challenges abroad. Why have Europe’s leaders chosen the path of European economic and legal integration? And how have European statesmen managed the thorny issues of minority rights and human rights?
Syllabi
For a syllabi of courses I have taught and others I am currently designing, please feel free to contact me.
