In the wake of Soviet collapse the geographic concept and extent of Europe is undergoing dramatic change. Merely 20 years ago the continent was split in half by ideologically opposed super powers; today it is split by an economic divide. Over the past 400 years the European map has been a mosaic of competitive nation-states; today many of these same states are attempting to forge a political union. Whereas Europe has traditionally defined itself as the epicenter of Christian faith, today Christian affiliation is on the wane and Islamic belief on the rise. And finally, after vowing "never again" to the genocidal nationalism of World War Two, the past 20-years has seen tens-of-thousands of Europeans die due to nationalist conflict. This course covers the various human geographic transitions affecting all European societies, states, and cultures since the collapse of the Iron Curtain in 1989. Topics of intense scrutiny will include: (1) the expansion and role of the European Union and NATO in post-communist Europe; (2) the geographic dimensions and tensions of contemporary migration in Europe; (3) the growth of Islam in Western Europe; (4) the geographic origins of resurgent nationalism in European states; (5) the economic and political transition of East Central European states since 1989 and 1991; and centrally, (6) the geographic roots of states' varied transformations from communism to liberal democracy. The goal of the course is to introduce students to the nuances of contemporary European geography and to illustrate the benefits of geographic perspective in understanding the myriad social issues facing modern Europe. Students will be required to read and write critically and come ready to discuss topics from a geographic perspective, as proffered during lecture.