Trans Atlantic Conversation

2008-04-09T18:59:00.000-07:00

Politics make strange...friendships

2006-08-14T17:07:00.000-07:00

From the Atlantic Times

Here's an article that examines how the Bush-Merkel friendship may warm relations between the US and Germany.

transatlantic relations

European Press Review

2006-08-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

Once a week, we'll post a quick summary of media coverage on Trans-Atlantic relations.

For an excellent brief summary see this on the BBC site

transatlantic relations

Resurfacing Tranatlantic Tensions

2006-08-13T11:42:00.000-07:00

From Jela De Franceschi on Voice of America

Following the recent arrests and disruption in Trans Atlantic travel, the Voice of America ran this piece.

During the past year, the United States and Europe have worked hard to mend relations that were deeply frayed by differences over Iraq. But divergent American and European views are resurfacing over how to handle the crisis in Lebanon and Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Many experts note that since the beginning of President Bush’s second term in office, there has been a clear improvement in U.S.-European relations and that both sides have gone out of their way to heal divisions exposed during the debate over the war in Iraq.

Charles Kupchan, Director of the Europe Program at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, says Americans and Europeans looked at the possible weakening of their relations and didn’t like what they saw.

NATO - - a unifying force between transatlantic partners

He says, “The United States tried to run the show on its own, but found the world a very lonely and expensive place. And some European naively thought life without America would be rosy and that it is about time that Europe comes out from under the shadow of American power. They looked over the abyss; it was very divisive in Europe. Most Europeans didn’t want to contemplate life after Pax-Americana.”

According to U.S. analyst John Hulsman at the German Council on Foreign Relations in Berlin, contends the United States is going to need support of at least some European allies. And the Europeans are going to need American involvement to get anything done.

Read on...

transatlantic relations

Student Mobility in Europe

2006-08-11T07:50:00.000-07:00

From Europa Newsletter

Creating a culture of mobility in Europe cannot be achieved without a change in mentality. Higher mobility rates among young workers indicate that this change is already underway. Why do the younger workers of today find it easier to be mobile?

One answer is that in many sectors, the ground for worker mobility has already been prepared by student mobility. In the field of education, a culture of mobility has already partly been achieved.

1976-2006: 30 years of European cooperation in education

Thirty years ago the European Union integrated education and training, thus opening the way for cooperation programmes such as Erasmus and later Comenius.

Cooperation in education is today, more than ever, a firm reality. Every year, pupils, students and teachers from all over Europe as well as all over the world take part in European projects and contribute to keeping the ‘freedom-of-movement' concept alive. This freedom is, predominately, a freedom of mutual enrichment.

The European Commission, through its Commissioner for Education and Training Ján Figel', welcomed the success of this cooperation. "All of those who for thirty years have been working at all levels to help achieve and further this cooperation have each day demonstrated its validity and its role in deepening Community integration and in bringing the peoples of Europe closer together".

For more information on European programs and trends in student mobility, read on...

European integration

Our First Post

2006-08-10T14:55:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Trans-Atlantic Conversation -- a new blog designed to facilitate learning and dialogue for anyone interested in trans atlantic relations.

We'll use this site to explore a wide range of issues and share news about Trans Atlantic scholarship and activities at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

The conversation is sponsored by the Missouri European Union Center.

Check us out, and join in the conversation!

European Union