JSB255 Communism versus Nationalism: The Balkans in the Second Half of the 20th Century

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2023
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. PhDr. Václav Štěpánek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. PhDr. Václav Štěpánek, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Václav Štěpánek, Ph.D.
Department of Slavonic Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Pavel Pilch, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Slavonic Studies – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Thu 12:00–13:40 B2.34, except Thu 16. 11.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 7 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
Lecture characterizes Balkan states after 1944, when The Second World War ended in the major part on Balkan. To bring more light to key moments it goes back to some of the milestones of the war era, looking mainly at the creation of left resistance and its impact on post-war development of the Balkan countries. Also the change from war to peace society is discussed in the lecture. Focus is put on gradual Sovietization of Romania, Bulgaria, Albany and Yugoslavia. It notices main poitical, economical and cultural features of the respective states in the post-war era. Specific development of Greece (civil war) and Yugoslavia (Tito-Stalin split) is being discussed as well. All the milestones of the era 1950-1990 will be presented.
Learning outcomes
At the end of this course, student will be able to perfectly orientate himself in the basic problem of the historic development of the Balkan peninsula after the Second World War. Student will be able to explain causes of the Balkan division to the communist and non-communist part, say which problems have their roots in the past era and bring arguments for it. He or she will be able to discuss all this from a journalistic point of view on the last development on Balkan.
Syllabus
  • 1. War and resistance. Importance of the resistance movements for the later development.
  • 2. End of war in Romania. Take-off of the power by Romanian communists.
  • 3. End of war in Bulgaria and switch to communist totalitarian state.
  • 4. Question of resistance movement and post-war development in Albany.
  • 5. Yugoslavia after 1944-1946.
  • 6. Liberation of Greece and civil war 1947-1949.
  • 7. Tendencies in development of Balkan states 1950-1990.
  • 8. Tito´s split with Comintern and the way of Yugoslavia in between the two blocks.
  • 9. Development in Yugoslavia at the beginning of 80´s.
  • 10. The way of Bulgaria as a loyal Soviet ally.
  • 11. Živkov´s regime in Bulgaria. The crash of Bulgarian communism.
  • 12. Romanian way from the Soviet sphere. Nicolae Ceausesku. Bloody anti-communist coup.
  • 13. Crisis in Cyper and Greek-Turkish relations.
Literature
    required literature
  • Crampton, Richard: The Balkans since the Second World War. London and New York: Longman, 2002.
  • STAVRIANOS, Leften Stavros. The Balkans since 1453. Edited by Traian Stoianovich. London: Hurst & Company, 2008, xxxvii, 97. ISBN 9781850655510. info
  • VYKOUKAL, Jiří P., Bohuslav LITERA and Miroslav TEJCHMAN. Východ :vznik, vývoj a rozpad sovětského bloku 1944-1989. 1. vyd. Praha: Libri, 2000, 860 s. ISBN 80-85983-82-6. info
  • ŠESTÁK, Miroslav. Dějiny jihoslovanských zemí. Praha: Lidové noviny, 1998, 756 s. ISBN 80-7106-266-9. info
    recommended literature
  • CRAMPTON, R. J. Eastern Europe in the twentieth century - and after. 2nd ed. London: Routledge, 1997, xx, 526. ISBN 0415164230. info
    not specified
  • Mazover, Mark: The Balkans. A short history. New York 2000.
  • HRADEČNÝ, Pavel, Ladislav HLADKÝ, Virgjil MONARI, František ŠÍSTEK and Pavla HRADEČNÁ. Dějiny Albánie. Vyd. 1. Praha: Nakladatelství Lidové noviny, 2008, 716 s. ISBN 9788071069393. info
  • HRADEČNÝ, Pavel. Dějiny Řecka. 2., dopl. a rozš. vyd. Praha: Nakladatelství Lidové noviny, 2007, 768 s. ISBN 80-7106-192-1. info
  • CRAMPTON, R. J. Balkan posle drugog svetskog rata. Translated by Ksenija Todorović. Beograd: Clio, 2003, 510 s. ISBN 8671020843. info
  • GLENNY, Misha. Balkán, 1804-1999 : nacionalismus, válka a velmoci. Translated by Olga Kovářová - Martin Kovář. 1. vyd. v českém jazyce. Praha: BB art, 2003, 547 s. ISBN 8072579762. info
  • RYCHLÍK, Jan. Dějiny Bulharska. Vyd. 1. Praha: Lidové noviny, 2000, 508 s. ISBN 80-7106-404-1. info
  • HRADEČNÝ, Pavel. Řekové a Turci :nepřátelé nebo spojenci? Praha: Nakladatelství Lidové noviny, 2000, 226 s. ISBN 80-7106-378-9. info
  • CRAMPTON, Richard and Ben CRAMPTON. Atlas of Eastern Europe in the twentieth century. London: Routledge, 1997, xv, 297 s. ISBN 0-415-06689-1. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, home reading, class discussion.
Assessment methods
Prerequisites for granting the credit: regular attendance and thorough home preparation on weekly basis, participation in class discussion, oral exam. One topic can be prepared by the student in advance.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2023, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2023/JSB255