This course will explore a series of issues related to borders and migration in postwar Europe. From the mass migrations and displacements that occurred in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, to the recruitment of “guest workers” by the booming economies of Western Europe during the 1950s and 1960s, and finally to the East-West migration since the fall of Communism in 1989, Europe has seen at least three important waves of migration since 1945. Borders have also been a significant issue in postwar Europe. The postwar settlement called for significant changes in national territories. While the project of European integration has caused some national borders to fade away, regionalist movements have called for new boundaries within even longstanding European nation-states.
As we explore these topics over the course of the semester, students in this class will be introduced to historical research methods, including archival research, and conduct their own research project on borders and migration in Europe since 1945. The class will include workshops with librarians and visits to Duke’s Human Rights Archive and the special collections at UNC’s Wilson Library.