GLCb1003 Central Europe: Politics and Society

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2024
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Michal Pink, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. PhDr. Csaba Szaló, Ph.D. (lecturer)
prof. PhDr. Lubomír Kopeček, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Michal Pink, Ph.D.
Department of Political Science – Faculty of Social Studies
Supplier department: Department of Sociology – Faculty of Social Studies (49,00 %), Department of Political Science – Faculty of Social Studies (51,00 %)
Prerequisites
none
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Politics and Society is basic course focused on introduction to modern politics based on the rules of society in Central and East European context.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course, the students will be able to identify and uderstand the interconnection between politics and society. They will be able to define modern politics based on the rules of society in Central and East European context.
Syllabus
  • 21.9. Online welcoming, students will receive a link via email (CS) 28.9. State holiday – no teaching 5.10. Czech politics and modern trends (MP) Reading: Mansfeldová, Zdenka. 2006 The Czech Republic: critical democrats and the persistence of democratic values. In Klingemann, Hans-Dieter and Fuchs, Dieter and Zielonka, Jan. Democracy and Political Culture in Eastern Europe. Routledge, London and New York 2006. PP. 101 – 118. Auer, Stefan. 2004. Liberal nationalism in Central Europe. Routledge, London and New York 2006, pp. 95 – 130. Topic for preparation: Compare Václav Havel and Václav Klaus - Describe the political profile and role in the process of democratiza-tion of the two most important persons. We expect mainly the differencies in national and international politics. 12.10. Czechia – The aesthetics of modernisation, industrialisation and urbanization (CS) Reading: Wong, Yoke-Sum. 2013. “Edith Doesn’t Live Here Anymore: A Story of Farnsworth House.” Pp. 102–33 in The Inhabited Ruins of Central Europe: Re-imagining Space, History, and Memory, edited by D. Sayer and D. Gafijczuk. London: Palgrave Macmillan. Gafijczuk, Dariusz. 2013. “Anxious Geographies – Inhabited Traditions.” Pp. 178–93 in The Inhabited Ruins of Central Europe: Re-imagining Space, History, and Memory, edited by D. Sayer and D. Gafijczuk. London: Palgrave Macmillan. 19.10. Slovakia – Young national state (LK) Reading: Hilde, Paal Sigurd (1999): Slovak Nationalism and the Break-Up of Czechoslovakia. Europe-Asia Studies, Vol. 51, No. 4, pp. 647-665 Lipták, Ľubomír (2000): Slovakia in the 20th Century. In Mannová, E. (ed.): A Concise History of Slova-kia. Bratislava: Historický ústav SAV, pp. 244 – 272. Mesežnikov, G. - Gyárfašová, O.: Slovakia's Conflicting Camps, Journal of Democracy 29, 2018, pp. 78-90. Topics for preparation: a) Describe the attitude of the Slovak state and society towards Jews during the Second World War, including what influenced it. In the second reflection section, consider how this attitude can be seen in the context of Europe at the time. b) Outline the development of the relationship between Czechs and Slovaks between 1989 and 1992, including the legacy of history, the hyphen war, the dispute over competences and economic aspects. In the second reflection section, consider whether the break-up of Czechoslovakia was inevitable. 26.10. Slovakia – State building between national myths and the ethics of dissent (CS) Reading: Beasley-Murray, Tim. 2013. “Ruins and Representations of 1989: Exception, Normality, Revolution.” Pp. 16–39 in The Inhabited Ruins of Central Europe: Re-imagining Space, History, and Memory, edited by D. Sayer and D. Gafijczuk. London: Palgrave Macmillan. Blokker, Paul. 2013. “The Ruins of a Myth or a Myth in Ruins? Freedom and Cohabitation in Central Eu-rope.” Pp. 40–54 in The Inhabited Ruins of Central Europe: Re-imagining Space, History, and Memory, edited by D. Sayer and D. Gafijczuk. London: Palgrave Macmillan. 2.11. Poland – How state formation process influence modern politics (LK) Reading: Lukowski, Jerzy – Zawadski, Hubert: A concise history of Poland. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2019. pp. 279-449. Topics for preparation: a) Describe the emergence and shape of Solidarity in Poland in the early 1980s.The communist regime intervened against Solidarity in December 1981 in the way you mention. In the reflective second part, consider whether there was any alternative to this action by the regime. b) Józef Pilsudski and Lech Walesa played a significant role in 20th century Polish history. Briefly outline their role and in the second part of the paper reflect on both of them in a comparative perspective in terms of their con-tribution. 9.11. Poland – Cultural heritage(s): the tragic discourses of resettlement, expulsion and genocide (CS) Reading: Thum, Gregor. 2017. Uprooted: How Breslau Became Wroclaw during the Century of Expulsions. pp: xiii-104. 16.11. Hungary – Modernisation of agrarian society (MP) Reading: Toomey, Michael. 2018. History, Nationalism, and democracy: Myth and Narrative in Viktor Orbán´s illiberal Hungary. Interdisciplinary Journal of Central & East European Politics and International Relations, Vol. 26, No. 1/2018 pp. 87 – 108. Haerpfer, W., Christian. 2006. Hungary: structure and dynamics of democratic consolidation. In: Klingemann, Hans-Dieter and Fuchs, Dieter and Zielonka, Jan. Democracy and Political Culture in Eastern Europe. Routledge, London and New York 2006. Pp. 148 – 171. And Pp. 172 – 202. Topic for preparation: The Trianon Agreement played and still plays an important role in the national politics of Hungary. Briefly de-scribe what it was about and which parties profile it today. 23.11. Hungary – Nationalism and the identity politics of cultural traumas (CS) Reading: Dányi, Endre. 2013. “Democracy in Ruins: The Case of the Hungarian Parliament.” Pp. 55–78 in The Inhabited Ruins of Central Europe: Re-imagining Space, History, and Memory, edited by D. Sayer and D. Gafijczuk. London: Palgrave Macmillan. 30.11. Austria – Central Europe and modern trends (MP) Reading: Bischof, Gunter and Plasser, Fritz. 2008. The changing Austrian Voter. Transaction Publishers, New Brunswick. Topic for preparation: Austrian politics in the course of the 20th century is accompanied by two terms. The first of them is “pillariza-tion” and the second is “proporz”. Choose one of them and briefly describe them with an emphasis on the existence of political parties. 7.12. Austria – Cultural contradictions of centralisation and modernization (CS) Reading: Judson, Pieter M. 2016. The Habsburg Empire: A New History. Cambridge, Massachusetts ; Lon-don, England: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. pp.333-454. 14.12. Final Test Assessment methods and criteria 1. Students are expecting to prepare during the term six written preparation based on the literature in the sylabus, each preparation – 2 points. It depends on the student´ preference which topics does he/she choose. Position paper should be two - three pages long (Times New Roman 12, double spaced). It should be composed of (1) short recapitulation of main ideas of assigned readings (1 - 2 pages); (2) critical comments to one or two selected issues/ideas of the readings (1 - 2 pages); (3) one or two clearly formulated questions for class discussion. Pa-pers should be submitted on Wednesday (12 a.m.) before concerned lesson to teaching lec-turer via Homework Folder in the Information System. Papers will be graded (maximum 12 points each) and evaluation of position papers will be part of final grading. 2. At the end of the course teachers prepare final test. Six open questions based on the literature and lectures during the term – 30 points. 3. During the seminars and lectures students can obtain points for own activity, in sume students can obtain 8 points. A: 50-46 B: 45-42 C: 41-38 D: 37-34 E:33-30, F: 29 and less points Fraudulent fulfillment of study obligations Teaching at FSS MU assumes that students know the study regulations and that they do not commit fraudulent fulfillment of study obligations, in particular copying and examination and plagiarism, ie publishing other people's ideas and taking over the ideas of other authors without mentioning the authorship. Plagiarism is one of the most serious ethical offenses in the academ-ic environment, it denies the mission university and the meaning of study. From a legal point of view, plagiarism is the theft of someone else's intellectual property. Under no circumstances can fraudulent fulfillment of study obligations be tolerated at FSS. Each a case of fraudulent conduct will be punished by the most severe sanction, namely unconditional exclusion from studies. We recommend that students get to know the problem of plagiarism as thoroughly as possible ways to avoid it.
Literature
  • see Syllabus
Teaching methods
lectures, class discussion, homework, reading, writting essays
Assessment methods
Written test with open questions, each for 5 point, 50% of right answers minimum, assesment of active particiaption during class.
Language of instruction
English
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2024, recent)
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