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OVERVIEW
East
Looks West - Berlin and Poland
This
video program features two case studies on Europe: Berlin:
United We Stand and Poland: Diffusion
of Democracy.
Berlin:
United We Stand explores Berlin, Germany, a
city uniquely shaped by superpower rivalries over five
decades. The city, its division marked by the building
of the Berlin Wall in 1961, is a study in contrasts.
Differing patterns of land use and transportation, as
well as of income and residence, are apparent even today
when comparing the eastern and western parts of the
city.
This
first case study features a French geographer whose
work involves a reconnaissance of districts in the former
East and West Berlin. Her research helps address questions
about how and in what ways the dismantling of the Berlin
Wall may lead to the integration of urban areas that
formerly were spatially distinct. Berlin is experiencing
dramatic transformations in its urban landscape, in
part due to the political designation of the city as
the capital of a reunited Germany and in part a response
to international economic forces. This is especially
true along the old boundary separating East and West
Berlin, which is now the site of a number of large-scale
construction projects.
Updates
to Berlin include further discussion of the refurbished
Reichstag and its symbolism to reunified Germany, new
footage of urban development, and commentary by Dr.
Guntram Herb.
Poland:
Diffusion of Democracy presents the difficulties
facing Poland in its transition from communism to capitalism.
This second case study shows how, under the new system,
Poles are learning the nuances of discourse, compromise,
and civic engagement. The future of Poland's democracy
depends on how quickly these skills spread throughout
its population. New urban voters have rapidly assimilated
these ideas, but rural Poland is plagued by dismal voter
turnout. In response, a new government program is attempting
to teach the geographic concept of diffusion -- and
its carriers and barriers -- in order to speed the pace
of change in this newly open society.
The
update to this case study features a follow-up interview
with the architect of Poland's democracy diffusion project,
Dr. Joanna Regulska, in which she discusses the results
of the program, touching on women's issues and future
trends.
Video Key Words
Berlin
- Reunification
of Germany
- Reunification
of Berlin
- Berlin
Wall
- Cold
War
Poland
- Free
Market Economy
- Iron
Curtain
- Diffusion
- Diffusion
of Democratic Practice
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