The following Europe

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Col Penny (NC-939)

EUROPEEUROPE

Europe • Cultural Awareness

• SCIS Documentaries and Student Presentations

• Guided Discussion Addressing U.S. Interests

Europe Overview

• Background

• Culture and Religion

• Economic and Social Issues

• Politics and Government

EUROPEAn Overview

Cultural Mosaic• Shared Experiences

• Roman Empire• Napoleon• History of Violence• WW I and WW II• Cold War• Longstanding ethnic/religious feuds

• Leads to Shared Perspectives

Social Perspectives

• Generous Social Welfare System–State Health Care

–Unemployment

–Extremely High Taxes

Vacation & Leisure

• Vacation– France: 5/6 Weeks– Germany: 6+ Weeks– U.S: 2 Weeks

• Leisure– Europeans enjoy their social life

• More relaxed view of alcohol use

• Another Area they all agree on is …

Education

• 2,500 Years of Formal Education– World’s oldest universities

• University of Bologna est 1150– Literacy +90%– View on Higher Education– Language requirement

European People

• Many countries have one dominant ethnic group

• Swedes in Sweden• Hungarians in Hungary, etc

• Most countries also have at least one minority group

• Basques in Spain• Kurds in Turkey• Roma (Gypsies)

European People

• Migration–Fall of Communism

–Rise of EU and open borders

–Promotes cross cultural interaction• Sometimes Good…

European People

• Historical Hatred• Ethnic Cleansing

–Former Yugoslavia• Current Ethnic

Violence• For every different

ethnic group, there is also a different language

European PeopleEuropean People

• Immigration and Integration and Negative Population Growth.

• With a population growth rate of near zero and death rates exceeding birth rates, Europe must turn to immigrants to sustain its growing economy

• By 2025, the population of Europe is expected to fall by more than 25 million people

European People

• Languages–60+ languages

–Large % are multi-lingual

• English is common go between language

• Thankfully, there aren’t 60 main religions

European People

• Religion

• 3 Dominant Religions–Christianity

–Judaism

–Islam

European People

• Religion• Christianity

–Dominant religion• Roman Catholic• Protestant• Eastern Orthodox

–Church attendance down significantly in recent years

European People

• Religion

• Judaism– Practiced in Europe since Roman Times

– Large part of the Jewish population wiped out by Nazis

– Small communities still exist in urban centers

European People• Religion

• Islam– Practiced in Europe since the 8th

Century

– Fueled recently by immigration from Africa and the Middle East

– Fastest growing religion in Europe today

• Religion has played a significant role in European History

European People

• Religion

• Positive–Cultural blending/bonding

• Negative–Religious persecution/warfare

• Northern Ireland

• Balkans

Economic and Social Issues

• European Economics

• A tale of two cities–Central Europe

–Western Europe

Economic and Social Issues

• Central Europe

• Communist Legacy–No basic freedom

–Poor economies

–Corruption

Economic and Social Issues

• Central Europe

• Lack of Incentive–Under Communism no need to

excel

–Blindly Follow Orders

–No initiative

–40 Years of failure

Economic and Social Issues

• Central Europe • Absence of Free-Market Financial

Institutions and Laws–State run banks, manufacturers–No private ownership

• Communist rot ran to the core of everything

Economic and Social Issues

• Central Europe • Decayed Infrastructure

–Most Communist construction was shoddy

–Poor roads, bridges

–Antiquated telecommunication systems• Thankfully things were better in the West

Economic and Social Issues

• The European Union–The Single European Union Act

–Maastricht Treaty

–Euro

Politics and Government

• EU Growth–10 new members added in 2004 (25)

–2 more set for 2007

–2 more in talks

• Coincides with NATO expansion–7 new members added in 2004 (26)

NATO

• Foundation–Post Cold War evolution of NATO

–NATO in Afghanistan (ISAF)

–NATO and consensus based decisions

EU Military

• Foundation–Battle Groups

• US Role in EU Military Force

EuropeSummary

• Background

• Culture and Religion

• Economic and Social Issues

• Politics and Government

EUROPE

Questions

EUROPESCIS Videos and

Student Presentations

Europe

• Social and Cultural Issues–SCIS Video

–Student Presentations

Europe

• Social and Cultural Issues–SCIS Video

–Student Presentations

Europe

• Economics and the Environment–SCIS Video

–Student Presentations

Europe

• Economics and the Environment–SCIS Video

–Student Presentations

Europe

• Politics and Government–SCIS Video

–Student Presentations

Europe

• Politics and Government–SCIS Video

–Student Presentations

Europe

• Europe in World Affairs–SCIS Video

–Student Presentations

Europe

• Europe in World Affairs–SCIS Video

–Student Presentations

Europe

• Cultural Awareness

• SCIS Documentaries and Student Presentations

• Guided Discussion Addressing U.S. Interests