Course description and structure

This blended intensive program offers a philosophical introduction to the idea of Europe. Far from aspiring to a systematic exposition or largescale historical overview, its approach is one of curiosity and wonder at the history of philosophical ideas. The course aims to explore a millennial tradition of thought in order to unlock an original perspective on contemporary notions of a (broadly conceived) ‘European identity’: it examines the ‘effective history’ of philosophical ideas and their capacity to help express and even create a sense of cultural identity.

With this goal in mind, the course will dwell on a number of philosophical, literary and historiographical sources, taken from different historical periods, that are ideally suited to spark discussion about how the idea of Europa emerged. At stake is the power of philosophical ideas, both as shaping factors of a collective European identity and as compelling testimonies that continue to affect the way Europe is understood and experienced today.

International classroom

By welcoming students from universities all over Europe, the course intends to create an international classroom with various cultural and historical backgrounds for philosophical reflection. The international embedding is strengthened by the organizational support and cooperation with Maastricht University, University Carlos III of Madrid, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University Milan and University of Eastern Finland.

The course is divided into an online program and an on-campus block seminar. It fosters a combination of classical lectures, close reading sessions, interactive seminars, independent groupwork, self-tuition and self-reflection. Students will be invited to actively reflect on their own intuitions about the concept of European Identity and bring these to class. Co-creation, both on the part of students and teachers, is at the heart of the learning trajectory of this course.

Learning objectives

Students are able to study and explore various philosophical and literary sources from significant periods of European intellectual history in order to examine, interpret and/or critically evaluate their possible contribution to how we understand Europe today.
Students are able to recognize, employ and critically reflect upon different methodologies used to identify the affinity, degree of correspondence or relationship between philosophical sources and cultural identity.
Students are able to apply knowledge and insights from the course to reflect upon, and engage in thoughtful debate about the influence of fundamental philosophical ideas on contemporary European culture and institutions.

Course details

ECTS of course: 6
Academic course level: Advanced Bachelor
ECTS of course: 6
Language: English
Timing: Academic year 2024/2025, second semester
Method of delivery: Blended Intensive Program
Registration deadline: 17-01-2025 23:59 CET

Requirement and grants

As a registration requirement, students enrolled in the course must come to Antwerp for a short mobility stay, preferably using an Erasmus+ Short Term Blended Mobility Grant covering (part of) travel and subsistence costs.

Depending on your national context and your profile, the mobility grant amounts to a minimum of €76 per student per day, so a total amount of minimum €532 for the entire stay. Please contact your institutional mobility coordinator to find out more about the internal grant application procedures.

Assesment

The course evaluation falls into two parts:

The first contains four short and achievable assignments, completed and handed in online, all of which are pass or fail.

The second part is graded. It includes the student class prepared and given during the block seminar, and a concluding paper assignment.

Literature on the Idea of Europe: text analysis (pass/fail)
Literature on the Idea of Europe: Socratic dialogue (pass/fail)
Philosophical source text: written assignment (pass/fail)
Imagining Europe group work: video montage (pass/fail)
On-campus learning trajectory: co-created student class (40% of the final mark)
Final assignment: individual paper (60% of the final mark) to be submitted by 19 June (resit 21 August)

Structure of the programme

The Idea of Europe (online)

Students follow a learning trajectory of four lectures, either by livestream or by watching the recordings, and independently process a package of philosophical texts on the idea of Europe. The learning formats include an individual assignment and online collaboration in pairs.

Thursday 13 February, 14:00-16:00 CET Introduction to the Idea of Europe

Thursday 20 February, 14:00-16:00 CET FRAMEWORK 1

Thursday 27 February, 14:00-16:00 CET FRAMEWORK 2

Thursday 6 March, 14:00-16:00 CET FRAMEWORK 3

Philosophical Source Texts (online)

Students choose one of seven self-study packages devoted to a philosophical key idea. The packages provide access to an online learning environment with video recordings (including an introduction to the philosopher and a discussion of the source text) and text material. The evaluation format is a writing assignment.

Aristotle (384-322, Athens) - CIVIC FRIENDSHIP * Ana Gavran Milos (Rijeka)

Augustine (354-430, Hippo Regius/Annaba) - GRACE * Anthony Dupont (Leuven)

Ibn Rushd (Averroes) (1126-1198, Córdoba) - RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY * Caterina Belo (Cairo)

Giordano Bruno (1548-1600, Rome) - HUMANISM * Paolo Quintili (Rome)

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778, Paris) - WAR AND PEACE * Ann Thomson (Florence)

Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797, London) - UNIVERSAL RIGHTS * Herbert De Vriese (Antwerp)

Immanuel Kant (1724-1804, Kaliningrad) - THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS * Thomasz Kups (Toruń)

European Identity (on campus)

Students choose in advance a theme that will define their learning trajectory during the on-campus block seminar. They meet with the guest lecturer who coaches them to develop their own ideas on the theme and elaborate them into a lesson to give to their fellow students. As support, there are plenary workshops and social activities.

REMEMBRANCE Antonio Gomez Ramos (Madrid)

OPPOSITION Darian Meacham (Maastricht)

SOLIDARITY Alessandro Volpe (Milan)

IMMIGRATION Maija Aalto-Heinilä (Joensuu)