The shaping of Western Civilization

1. One of the themes of the course has been the place of the body – images or metaphors of the body and actual bodies – in the history of Europe from 1500 to the present. How would you characterize this history? Do you see it as one of continuity or of change? Justify your answer with reference to at least three different weeks in the course. 2. The course has emphasized the emergence and transformation of “Europe” over the course of half a millennia. During that time the relationship between “Europe” and the rest of the world has also been transformed. How would you characterize that changing relationship? You should draw on at least three different weeks of the course in your answer. 3. According to Michael Burger, the history of western Europe since 1500 is the story of the breakdown of a unified society and the ongoing efforts to overcome the resulting atomization and recreate a sense of community (Burger, 479-80). Do you agree or disagree with Burger’s analysis? Drawing on at least three different weeks of the course, justify the stance you take.