On this lovely Valentine's Day, the AU students and KU Leuven students had their first joint class meeting. While there were some unexpected technological kinks to work out, it was overall an enjoyable and auspicious start to this transatlantic learning adventure.
Once Professors Martin and Raube were able to get Zoom and their respective cameras set up, the class of 40+ students set off on their first join discussion, guided by the question:
"John Ikenberry defines an international order as “the ‘governing’ arrangements among a group of states, including its fundamental rules, principles, and institutions. Based on Ikenberry’s definition, is there a distinct transatlantic order, and what are its characteristics? Who is part of this order and who is excluded?"
Broken up into 6 small groups, the students discussed and deliberated, and then came back together to share their thoughts, see what themes and contentions, if any, emerged.
The group overwhelmingly agreed that the idea of the transatlantic order is most distinctly defined by the immediate post-WWII era and that because of the war's drastic effects on Europe's economy, infrastructure, and overall stability, it was the United States who stepped up and took the lead in establishing the system of cooperation and collaboration that exists today.
Something rather interesting this observer would like to note is that the very make-up of the students in the class rather exemplifies the idea of the transatlantic order and transatlantic relations. As students took turns sharing their thoughts, they shared perspectives from the Netherlands, Greece, Belgium, Ireland, America, and Sweden just to name a few.
As AU and KU Leuven endeavor to understand and reimagine transatlantic order, the future the course looks very bright indeed.
Until next week.
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