BSSn4496 European perspectives: framing the Old Continent’s place and role in the contemporary world

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2021
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Adam Bence Balazs, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. et Mgr. Petra Mlejnková, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. et Mgr. Petra Mlejnková, Ph.D.
Department of Political Science – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Mgr. et Mgr. Petra Mlejnková, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Division of Politology – Department of Political Science – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Wed 16:00–17:40 U44
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 15 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 1/15, only registered: 0/15, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/15
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 6 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives (in Czech)
The course will be taught by Adam Bence Balazs, Ph.D. (affiliated to the Sorbonne and currently a visiting fellow at the Graduate Institute in Geneva).

European integration has reached a point of exhaustion. The enlargement process stagnates in the Western Balkans; some new member states impair the smooth progress of EU cohesion from the inside. Every time there is a regional or global “crisis”, the European construction, and its united space tend to relapse into a continental and political labyrinth. It is hardly acceptable that only political extremes have clear – yet dangerously delusional – conceptions of what Europe should look like in one generation or two. We will not overcome these continental shortcomings without framing in new critical ways the place and role of Europe in the contemporary global complexity of our world. This course proposes to explore such critical ways and see how new perspectives can be sketched for the “Old” Continent.

In terms of content, the main objectives of the course are to introduce Master students to:
1) Europe’s contemporary challenges within global complexity and
2) to the interdisciplinary approaches of political topics. The place and role of Europe in the contemporary world addresses institutional, geopolitical, but also historical and cultural issues.

Sketching new political perspectives for Europe and embracing new scientific angles on politics are the two major axes of the course. To think through new political perspectives for the Old Continent means to mobilize the many fields that have shaped European history on the long term. Political science is certainly a discipline on its own, yet human and social sciences complete rather than compete with each other.
Learning outcomes (in Czech)
1) Students will become familiar with some of the main concepts of global complexity: Eurocentrism, Orientalism, structural racism, identity politics.
2) They will learn how to frame European questions within global complexity.
3) The course will expand students’ critical perspectives to an interdisciplinary level. General culture, literary and aesthetic sensibility, a firm command of historiographical tools, and curiosity enlarged to other scientific territories improve and enrich the political scientist’s specific focus on political phenomena.
4) Students will learn how to carry out research in a collective, scholar environment.
5) We will work on oral presentation skills.
Assessment methods (in Czech)
I. Individual assignments

Students are expected to choose their own research topic during the first third of the course (before week 4). I propose an individual follow-up of their research. The four steps of the supervised progress are:
1) A first sketch, in one page, of their topic (week 4). Students will get individual feedback on how to better frame their project, with ideas of additional readings.
2) A second draft, with an introduction and a plan (week 8), followed by feedback on how to better structure their work.
3) An oral presentation (week 12) in class of their work-in-progress. The oral presentation is a collective exercise. Students are expected to give each other feedback and will be provided with the ways and means of constructive criticism, i.e. academic communication and soft skills
4) A final paper of 12 pages at the end of the semester (deadline to be discussed) that will show how students have progressively improved their work through the three previous steps. Week 12, basics of academic writing will be presented in class if necessary and/or based on shortcomings identified throughout the first three steps.

II. Readings

An interdisciplinary approach means multiplied readings. Students are invited to read between 50 and 100 pages of academic material, to which more literary readings will be added. Every week, we will examine a “short” classic text completed by more reader-friendly secondary literature. We will read at least one novel together.
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught only once.
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