At IES Abroad, we provide our students with academic study abroad experiences that are challenging, engaging, and timely. That’s why we were excited to introduce a new course during the Spring 2017 semester: Brexit: The United Kingdom and the European Union–A Troubled History.
The course is available at IES Abroad London, taught by Dr. Michael Drolet, and IES Abroad European Union, taught by Dr. Iannis Carras. The course provides students with a thorough understanding of Great Britain’s ever-changing relations with continental Europe with a major focus on Brexit, a prominent topic in the current European discourse.
Brexit is the latest–and possibly largest–milestone on the path of the UK’s ever-evolving relationship with the rest of Europe. The importance and impact of Brexit is felt in the UK, Europe, and beyond. This course brings together students who are experiencing Brexit in different circumstances. The course explores the political, cultural, and economic history of the UK’s relations with Europe; the political, economic, and legal challenges that Brexit poses for the UK and the European Union; and the political, social, ideological, and economic factors that under-pinned Brexit and European discontent with European Union institutions.
The students enrolled in the course at both Centers are linked via online components to share projects and content. They also have the opportunity to meet each other in person during course-related trips– once in Brussels and once in London – where they meet with experts, such as the Senior Advisor of the Brexit-Unit of the Council of the European Union.
An IES Abroad European Union Spring 2017 student describes their experience: “I am so glad this course was offered, and it was great to be able to learn and discuss this topic as it was unfolding. Iannis did a great job incorporating current events into this course as well as providing the historical context needed to understand Brexit …”
Earlier this year, Dr. Carras (IES Abroad European Union) and Dr. Christian Schnee (IES Abroad London) recently completed a lecture tour where they visited Hope College and the University of Redlands to serve on a discussion panel concerning Brexit. They also stopped by the IES Abroad headquarters and sat down to share their expertise on Brexit, and its impact on study abroad during a Facebook Live.
Learn more about studying abroad in London and our IES Abroad European Union program.
