Why has Germany been so often involved in wars with its neighbors over the last century? What domestic and international factors made a Nazi regime possible in such an advanced industrial society? This course surveys the leading theoretical and historical explanations that scholars have developed to account for Germany's internal and external behavior. We will also examine the division of Germany after the Second World War, focusing on West Germany's role in the origins of European integration and NATO. The final part of the course will focus on contemporary issues such as German reunification, the future of the European Union, the Goldhagen controversy, the resurgence of nationalism, and Germany's place in the future of Europe. Requirements: two 5- to 7-page papers and a final exam. No prerequisites. Comparative Politics and International Relations Subfields