European Culture and Politics (FutureLearn)

European Culture and Politics (FutureLearn)

Learn about the link between identity, culture and politics in the construction of contemporary Europe. This free online course explains Europe as a cultural and political product.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see FutureLearn's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

We revisit perceived truths about the meaning of European identity. We examine how cultural knowledge and facts were constructed to further post-World War II integration. We will help you understand and identify the complexities of the contemporary crises of European integration and support you in developing novel responses to these crises.
We cover such topics as European culture, religion, modernity, the nation-state, democracy and the Other.
The course has been developed by the Euroculture programme, a multi-university master’s and research programme on European culture and politics.

What topics will you cover?
Europe and European Culture
Europe and Religion
Europe and Modernity
Europe and Democracy
Europe and the Nation-State
Europe as/and the Other

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

  • Describe how European political integration is embedded in broader cultural modalities including memory, language, heritage, national symbols, etc.
  • Identify main transdisciplinary debates on Europe and European cultural identity with the intention of proposing solutions to issues such as the future of European integration, democracy in a heterogeneous community, etc.
  • Identify solutions to problems of contemporary European integration including growing citizen alienation, lack of solidarity, individualization, and passivity through grassroots activities and rethinking of the citizen/community relationship.
  • Identify solutions to problems of contemporary European integration including the financial crisis, rising nationalism, democratic deficit, migration, and insecurity by way of reforming/rethinking the existing European institutional structure.
  • Debate sensitive topics in a culturally and academically diverse environment.
  • Engage with other learners in a culturally and academically diverse environment.
  • Contribute ethically, receptively and responsibly in a virtual environment.
  • Develop experience in virtual learning.
  • Develop experience in virtual communication.
Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Copyright y los Negocios de las Industrias Creativas (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers - CISAC

Copyright y los Negocios de las Industrias Creativas (FutureLearn)

Una visión general sobre el papel del copyright en los negocios de las industrias creativas. Entiende cómo el copyright influye en los negocios de las industrias creativas. En este curso, exploramos la aplicación de las reglas del copyright en los negocios de las industrias creativas.

No sessions available
4 Weeks
EU policy and implementation: making Europe work! (Coursera) Coursera
Leiden University

EU policy and implementation: making Europe work! (Coursera)

People have become more critical of EU policy and often seem to prefer local policy solutions in response to globalisation problems. How do you experience EU policy? Does it help? And if not, how can we change this? In this course, we learn how the European Union prepares and decides on policy, and how policy is transferred to member states and implemented by various authorities, including regional and local governments. We discuss the challenges of the European multi-level governance structure. We also focus on the main causes of policy failure or success. On this journey, we focus on actual policy and present the views of various experts: how easy is it to establish yourself in another EU-country?

Aug 17th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Culture in the Digital Age (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
European University Institute - EUI

Culture in the Digital Age (FutureLearn)

How has the cultural sector been affected by technology? Has tech created new opportunities? Get answers with this course. Explore the affects of digital technology on the cultural sector. In the last two decades, the cultural sector has undergone a radical transformation due to the rise of new media technologies. The digital revolution has radically transformed the daily practice of international cultural relations.

Nov 14th 2022
3 Weeks
Travel Books: History in Europe and Japan (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
British Library,Keio University

Travel Books: History in Europe and Japan (FutureLearn)

Discover how travelling books sparked cultural exchanges between Europe and Japan, and how they live on in the digital era. Unlock the history of travelling books in Europe and Japan. Books are cultural artefacts that are easily transported and translated. As such, they have been important in fostering relationships between countries for hundreds of years. On this three-week course presented by Keio University and the British Library, you’ll learn more about the history of European and Japanese literature promoting cultural exchange, how this continues in the digital era, and how vital this exchange is.

Jun 27th 2022
3 Weeks
Desigualdades en América Latina y el Caribe: Investigación, Políticas y Gestión para las Transformaciones Sociales (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
UNESCO,CLAD

Desigualdades en América Latina y el Caribe: Investigación, Políticas y Gestión para las Transformaciones Sociales (FutureLearn)

Explore nuevas estrategias de producción y gestión de conocimiento para mejorar las políticas frente a las desigualdades. Las desigualdades representan uno de los principales desafíos que enfrenta América Latina y el Caribe, y constituyen una constante preocupación para sus gobiernos. Frente a estos escenarios cada vez más complejos, el diálogo fluido entre investigación social y políticas públicas resulta urgente y estratégico. Este curso aborda el actual panorama regional de las desigualdades, alerta sobre sus dramáticas consecuencias, y ofrece estrategias transformadoras que pueden diseñarse para mejorar las políticas sociales y la gestión pública.

No sessions available
4 Weeks
Switzerland in Europe: Money, Migration and Other Difficult Matters (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Basel

Switzerland in Europe: Money, Migration and Other Difficult Matters (FutureLearn)

Learn about the position of Switzerland in Europe, in particular with respect to money, migration and other difficult matters. In times of economic uncertainty and increasing migration within Europe, the relationship between Switzerland and the European Union (EU) is severely tested. Located in the west of the European continent, Switzerland is a small but wealthy country, which is surprisingly not a member of the EU. Did you ever wonder what the reasons for this are? And have you ever thought about what legal conditions govern this exceptional relationship?

No sessions available
5-12 Weeks
Cultures and Identities in Europe (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
European University Institute - EUI

Cultures and Identities in Europe (FutureLearn)

What does it mean to be European? Discover European cultures, identities and policies with this course. What is European identity? What do we understand and promote as European culture? On this course you will answer these questions and others as you critically consider the formation of diverse identities and cultures in Europe.

Oct 3rd 2022
3 Weeks
Introduction to Intercultural Studies: Defining the Concept of Culture (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Leeds

Introduction to Intercultural Studies: Defining the Concept of Culture (FutureLearn)

Understand intercultural communication by learning about the concepts of culture and interculturality. On this course, you’ll explore some of the meanings associated with the term ‘culture’ and examine their problematic nature. You’ll understand the effects of the interaction between cultures, explore the notion of interculturality and problematise the way in which social interaction between people from different backgrounds has been considered.

Self Paced
2 Weeks
New Zealand History, Culture and Conflict: A Museum Perspective (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

New Zealand History, Culture and Conflict: A Museum Perspective (FutureLearn)

Discover the social history of Aotearoa New Zealand, learning how the country’s bicultural national consciousness was formed. Identify the factors that have contributed to New Zealand’s cultural identity. New Zealand’s social history is built on a foundation of exploration and colonial conflict. On this three-week course, you’ll access artefacts, treasures, and exhibitions within Te Papa Tongarewa’s collections to discover how New Zealand culture has evolved over time, identifying key historical moments that have impacted the formation of a national identity.

Self Paced
3 Weeks
Why Religion Matters: Religious Literacy, Culture and Diversity (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
The Open University

Why Religion Matters: Religious Literacy, Culture and Diversity (FutureLearn)

Discover why religion is important for understanding and engaging with global challenges. Consider the ways religion affects personal and political decision-making. Religion not only influences personal behaviours and ethics, but it’s also relevant to international conflicts and domestic policy decisions. On this course, you will gain a broader understanding of why religion matters in society and in different cultures.

Self Paced
4 Weeks