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Featured News
- On March 10, Prof. George Gasyna traveled to the Gene Siskel Film Center of the Art Institute of Chicago to give a presentation and lead a Q & A session about the 1958 classic film Ashes and Diamonds (Popiół i diament, Dir. Andrzej Wajda). The film screening was part of the... Read full story Prof. Gasyna Speaks about Ashes and Diamonds at the Gene Siskel Film Center
- The European Union Center at the University of Illinois is pleased to offer summer funding to support development of courses related to European/EU studies for the 2025-26 academic year. Awards are earmarked for faculty at community colleges (CCs) and minority-serving institutions (MSIs). Read full story Call for Proposals: Summer 2025 Course Development Grants for 2025-26 Area Studies Courses at Community Colleges and Minority-Serving Institutions
- The European Union Center at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign cordially invites you to "SMAART Symposium: Climate Justice and Climate Futures" on March 7-8 in 210 Levis Faculty Center. Read full story SMAART Symposium: Climate Justice and Climate Futures
Brian Gaines
Brian Gaines is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and an affiliate faculty of the European Union Center. What is the focus of your current work and/or subject of your current research? What do publics in established democracies regard as "fair" levels of taxation? What classes do you teach? What are some of the topics of those classes? Statistics and game theory for PhD students are my main classes of late. Do you have any recent awards, honors, or publications that you would like to highlight? With Gisela...
EURO 418: Language & Minorities in Europe
Survey of regional and immigrant minority language use, policies, and planning across Europe. Focus on political and social issues, such as language regimes, education, loss, and maintenance. Two immigrant languages, Turkish and Arabic/Berber, and four indigenous language families: Balto-Slavic with Estonian, Celtic, Romance with Basque, and Slavic with Hungarian. Taught in English.
EURO 490: Black Europe
Throughout history, Blackness and European-ness have often been characterized as opposites, whether in news media, academic texts, film, museum exhibits, etc. In many ways, European identity has become synonymous with whiteness, even though it’s estimated that Europe is home to at least 15 million Black people. Further, Black people have been present in Europe many centuries before Europe’s large-scale imperial conquest. Unfortunately, universalist political ideologies and widespread beliefs in a post-racial society tend to erase Black people in Europe—politically, socially, and otherwise. However, not in this course. Using an interdisciplinary approach, we will bring light to various aspects of Black Europe. Together, we will investigate various waves of Black migration to and/or through Europe as well as various Black European political and social movements within their historical contexts, analyze Black ways of transnational coalition-building in Europe and the Atlantic world, examine representations of Blackness and Black people in European media, think through how Blackness and race as a construct interact with notions of European citizenship, European integration and skepticism, and more.
EURO 500: Dialogue on Europe
This seminar is a roundtable exploring a variety of topics related to Europe, transatlantic relations, the European Union, and the peripheries. Students will have an opportunity to participate in regular conversations about current issues ranging from cultural policies, migration, economic policies, bureaucratic politics, international security, sports, popular culture, and other topics of high salience to Europe and the European Union. Opportunities for guest speakers and readings on professionalization. Open to undergraduate and graduate students.
EURO 502: The EU in a Global Context
European Union history, politics, law, culture and identity. Undergraduates need prior approval from instructor to register for this course.