国外一年。在一周中的任何一天打开新闻，或仅阅读任何国家的报纸，您肯定会遇到关于欧洲的报道。显然，欧洲的未来是一个对我们所生活的世界的未来具有极其重要意义的地缘政治问题。然而，我们当中很少有人真正了解现代欧洲这一复杂现象。为了获得这种理解，必须研究欧洲的经济，法律和社会学背景及其历史渊源。对欧洲丰富的文化传统的理解同样重要。欧洲的艺术家，作家，音乐家，作曲家和电影制片人发挥了文化影响，即使到现在，这种影响也没有被美国在世界舞台上的统治地位所掩盖。
Switch on the news any day of the week, or pick up just about any national newspaper, and you will be sure to come across an item on Europe. It is clear that the future of Europe is a geo-political question of profound importance for the future of the world we live in. Yet, few of us truly understand the complex phenomenon that is modern Europe. In order to achieve such an understanding, one must examine Europe's economic, legal, and sociological context, as well as its historical origins. Just as important is an understanding of Europe's rich cultural traditions. The artists, writers, musicians, composers and film-makers of Europe have exerted a cultural influence that even now is not eclipsed by the dominance of America on the world's stage.