Europe in Crisis

“This isn’t just about our pocketbooks...this is about history, it is about war and peace, it’s about Europe’s place on the global stage.”
–Charles Kupchan, Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service

The creation of the EU brought along with it peace and affluence. And for a time, Europe appeared destined to become ever more integrated and prosperous. But today, the European debt crisis has made possible what was once inconceivable – the collapse of the euro, and even the unraveling of the European Union itself. We head to front lines of the crisis – Italy and Greece – to ask, ‘How did we get here?’ and what needs to change to bring Europe back from the precipice?

Executive Producer: Aaron Lobel / Producers: Monica Bushman, Nina-Maria Potts (Feature Story News), and Megan Williams / Intern: Andreana Lefton / Additional production help: Flawn Williams / Director of Broadcasting and Station Relations: Steve Martin / Web Producer: Javier Barrera / Photo credit: Derek Bridges / Special thanks to Feature Story News /Host: Ray Suarez  / Airdate: Dec 2011

+ Field Report From Rome

Megan Williams explores the Italian professional guild system that keeps young people out of jobs and hampers growth.

Story Transcript: Field Report from Rome.pdf

+ Field Report From Greece

Nina-Maria Potts travels to the increasingly depopulated villages of northwest Greece, where the economic crisis is causing young Greeks to consider leaving the country for good.

Story Transcript: Field Report from Greece.pdf

+ History Of The EU

Ray Suarez examines the history of the European Union, from coal and steel market to common currency, and how integration brought the continent from devastating conflict to unprecedented cooperation.

Story Transcript: History of the EU.pdf

+ Greece And EU Funds

Nina-Maria Potts visits Epirus, a region of Greece that received millions of euros in EU development funding, to investigate how and why many development projects never materialized.

Story Transcript: Greece and EU Funds.pdf

+ Future Of The EU

Katherine Lanpher speaks with Charles Kupchan, a Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, about what the economic crisis means for the future of the European Union.

Story Transcript: Future of the EU.pdf