After the end of the Cold War and the reunification of Germany in 1991, it was believed that Germany would reassume its role as a powerful leader on the European continent. However, the roles Germany has played in terms of international relations, its position in the new E.U., and Europe's substantial increase in economic power, are different from the roles of Germany's past. As an Emerson scholar, Svetoslav Derderyan will explore these ideas in his project "The German Question."
Working in collaboration with Henry Platt Bristol Professor of International Affairs Alan Cafruny, Derderyan will create a multimedia website, including information about the German government, the E.U., and German foreign policy. Additionally, a research paper and PowerPoint presentation will examine Germany's political and economic orientations, as well as the country's policies after the reunification. Ideas such as Germany's unique domestic political processes, including the Schroder government attempt to balance the need for structural reform, as well as the country's unique relationship with France, will also be included in the project. Aiming to uncover US German relations and the nature of German power will place the "German Question" in the context of the globalizing world. Will Europe assume the tactics and policies of Germany, or will Germany modify itself to become more European? This, according to Derderyan, is the "German Question," and he hopes to answer it through his extensive research and data analysis.
Derderyan is a rising senior at Hamilton.
Created in 1997, the Emerson Foundation Grant program was designed to provide students with significant opportunities to work collaboratively with faculty members, researching an area of interest. The recipients, covering a range of topics, will explore fieldwork, laboratory and library research, and the development of teaching materials. The projects will be initiated this summer, and the students will make public presentations of their research throughout the 2003-2004 academic year.
