What has been described in the media as a migration crisis in Europe is being characterized by many aid workers as a reception crisis. The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has taken the lead among European heads of state in advocating for a safe and effective process of resettling migrants. Taking Germany as an example, our panel of experts will discuss the migrant experience in that country. What are the legal processes for applying for asylum or settling as an economic migrant? What is the pathway to citizenship? What has been the public response?

In Europe, the Black Lives Matter movement in the U.S. has struck a chord with some. Issues of procedural inequalities and police violence have been made more public in Black Lives Matter marches in cities throughout Europe. How does the movement in Europe differ from its American inspiration? How do issues of ethnicity and religion inform understandings of race in Europe? And what has been the response of authorities? Join our panel of experts for an in-depth exploration of this timely topic. Audience participation is encouraged.

In this installment of Conversations on Europe, our panel of experts from both sides of the Atlantic will examine the potential impact of upcoming elections in both the U.S. and Europe and to explore significant transnational trends in electoral politics, including the rise of populism and the polarization of the electorate as well as the increasing importance of issues related to immigration, the economy, and trade. How might the US elections in November impact European politics and the transatlantic relationship?

In this first installment of the 2016-17 series of the ESC's award-winning virtual roundtables, a panel of experts will discuss the current political and popular debates over free trade and trade agreements in the US and Europe. Why have NAFTA and TPP become such political hot potatoes in the current election cycle? What accounts for popular hostility to TTIP in Germany and other European nations? How did trade deals impact the Brexit vote and what impact will that vote have on on-going and future trade negotiations?

K-12 French Teachers participated in a week-long language pedagogy program at the University of Pittsburgh campus. Exploring the theme of "La France, La Francophonie, et la 'clash' des civilisations" during morning sessions, teachers also developed Integrated Performance Assessments (IPAs) in afternoon sessions to improve assessment and instruction in the classroom.

A delegation of cybersecurity experts from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe visited Pitt as part of a two week U.S. tour of cities sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. In a luncheon hosted by the European Studies Center, the delegation met with faculty and graduate students working on security issues related to Europe and the transatlantic relationship.

On June 23rd, voters in the UK went to the polls and voted by a slim margin to leave the EU. The political and economic repercussions were immediate. When will the dust settle? And what will Europe - and the UK - look like when it does?
Log in from your home or office to get expert analysis of the vote and its implications for Europe and the U.S.

A showcase of international culture and local resources for learning about other countries held at Pittsburgh Public School's only middle/high school that offers an International Baccalaureate. The European Studies Center manned a booth featuring trivia about the European Union and gave out prizes for students who were able to answer the most questions. Information was also handed out about international/European studies at Pitt for students in grades 6-12 to consider as they prepare for college.

The emergence of international capitalism depended on the creation of a highly mobile working class that built, loaded, and sailed the ships that connected the globe. These ships inaugurated the Atlantic slave trade and other labor migrations, making possible new regimes of accumulation and labor based in port cities, dynamic centers of power that linked the slave labor of colonial plantations to Europe and other parts of the world. The laborers of port cities – sailors, indentured servants, and slaves, workers free and unfree – are the subjects of this workshop.

On May 7, 2016 the European Studies Center at Pitt's University Center for International Studies will be hosting its first ever Europe Day Festival! The festival, which will run from 12:00 PM – 7:30 PM in and around Posvar Hall (230 S. Bouquet Street), will be a celebration of European culture, cuisine, and heritage. Local artisans and vendors will create a dynamic marketplace and performances of regional song and dance will be presented on the main stage. Artistic demonstrations, music and children’s activities will take place throughout the day.