Home | WELCOME From the DIRECTOR

Welcome to the home page of the Max Kade Center for European and German Studies (MKC) in the College of Arts and Science at Vanderbilt University. MKC is a dynamic interdisciplinary center for the study of all things European. Because of a generous grant from the Max Kade Foundation, we are housed in attractive quarters in Buttrick Hall with ample meeting and classroom space. Given the Max Kade Foundation’s commitment to advancing understanding about German/American relations, MKC also highlights the role of Germany within Europe and in transatlantic relations. We regularly sponsor films and lectures relating to Europe and seek to provide useful links to information on the EU and its member states. We also include other relevant news and information about the MKC on our website.

The Max Kade Center spearheads efforts at Vanderbilt, in Tennessee, and more generally in the Mid-south, to raise awareness about developments in Europe and their significance for transatlantic relations. The long and rich history of relationships on the continent and across the Atlantic is marked by several turning points, which we highlighted at an exciting international conference on “Imagining Europe” hosted at Vanderbilt in November 2007. One of the most recent turning points was the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989/1990 that brought about a reconfiguration of the cultural and socio-political fabric of the European peninsula. Moreover, the continued expansion of the EU and the reorientation of national programs have had a profound affect on traditional, Cold-War-era transatlantic relations. To be prepared for the 21st century, Americans and Europeans alike need to be aware of commonalities and new opportunities.

Ordinary citizens in the Mid-south know little about the relevance of the EU member states for transatlantic affairs or for the local and regional economy. Few are aware that EU member states have invested heavily in Tennessee and its neighboring states, accounting for almost $9 billion in Tennessee alone with another one billion dollars on the way with the selection of Chattanooga, TN, as the site of the new Volkswagen AG factory. The French nuclear power conglomerate AREVA has recently been awarded more than 239 million dollars for services that include furnishing radioactive fuel to TVA nuclear plants and for plant repairs. Austrian, Belgian, Danish, British, Finnish, French, Irish, Italian, Dutch, Spanish, and Swedish companies also do business in Tennessee. The Nissan Corporation, a joint venture with Renault, recently moved its headquarters for North and South America to the Nashville area; Mercedes is in Tuscaloosa, AL; BMW in Greenville, SC; Thyssen AG in Mobile, AL.

Despite the level of commercial interaction, EU and transatlantic relations hardly register in the public mind in the Mid South as a powerful partner. The USA and the EU, however, share more than economic interests or a cultural heritage. The US has in common with EU member states such challenges and opportunities as security measures, immigration policies, environmental initiatives, health-care management, and a belief in basic human rights. While cultural and commercial exchanges are growing in frequency in the region, they are only gradually finding their way into the public spotlight. Enhanced awareness of our interconnections with Europe directly affects our effectiveness in solving the challenge of human development at home and abroad.

In an increasingly globalized world it is essential for Americans, now more than ever, to recognize the vital transatlantic link with our European partners. With the uncertain global economic and political challenges which await us in the future, the US and Europe must work together to remain dominant in this ever changing global landscape. The Max Kade Center for European and German Studies seeks to prepare students to meet these challenges and to raise consciousness of the importance of the US’s European connections. Our goal is to disseminate information that will help students—and through outreach activities—communities in the Mid-south understand what the EU is, what it does, and how it affects us. By raising awareness about EU policies and its institutions, by pointing to the EU’s role as an international actor in the cultural, economic and political realm, and by disclosing the multi-faceted EU-US relationships, we seek to prepare citizens for a more effective course of action at the local, regional, and hopefully global levels. Our economic, social, and cultural connections to Europe will serve as the vehicle for advancing human development and leadership qualities in general.

Please feel free to call or stop by with any queries about our major and minor, our curricular offerings, study abroad opportunities, or our outreach initiatives. Florence Faucher-King, our Associate Director, and I will be pleased to assist in any way we can. We are also open to any suggestions that you might have.

John A. McCarthy
Director
Max Kade Centre for European and German Studies

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