This course aims to introduce the politics of the new Europe in the aftermath of the collapse of the communist bloc. Europe, a continent historically torn by divison and conflict now encompasses 38 nations that are almost all democratic in reality or aspiration and oriented towards market, rather than command economies. Given its historical and cultural commonalities, Europe is a natural unit for an area studies approach to political science. The course covers the politics of the established democracies and also concentrates on democratic transitions on the continent. Although in a limited extend, it also reflects on the politics in the European Union.