BA_14 Modern History of Latvia and Estonia

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Halina Beresnevičiúte Nosalova, Ph.D., M.A. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Halina Beresnevičiúte Nosalova, Ph.D., M.A.
Department of Linguistics and Baltic Languages – Faculty of Arts
Supplier department: Department of Linguistics and Baltic Languages – Faculty of Arts
Prerequisites
The course is designed for the students of the Baltic Studies program. However, any student can register for the course in case of interest.
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
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to introduce the modern history in the lands of contemporary Estonia and Latvia. Chronologically the course covers the period between the partitions of old Teutonic Livonia up to the Soviet occupation of the Baltic States in 1940. The course takes up the main trend of the Estonian and Latvian historiography to see dominant ethnic population as the main hero of the history of the land. Nevertheless, it also attempts to explain the extent in which the (political) cultures of German, Swedish, Polish-Lithuanian and Russian elites influenced the formation of those nations as well as the modernisation process in the land. The first of the „partitioned“ state in the region, Livonia and following states may serve as the illustration of all state-constituting trends in the region. Originally, a multicultural and multi-religious region presented itself as the scene of competing cultural influences, ethnic conflicts and social integration. Finally yet importantly, a backword region in European periphery with some urban, industrial and modernising enclaves around Baltic harbours and with complex social composition may serve for some sociological considerations.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, students should be able to understand and explain the historical development of Estonia, Livonia from the first Northern war in the 16th century up to the occupation of Latvian and Estonian states in 1940.
Syllabus
  • 1)Politics and economics in the Baltic region in the 16th - 18th century. The decline of Livonia and the Northern wars. 2) Polish Lithuanian part of Livonia. Political constitution and political culture. Economic development. Counter-reformation and the activities of Jesuits.Latgala/Inflanty. 3) The Duchy of Curland and Semigallia. Political constitution. The rise and fall of Jacob Kettler. Riga. 4) The Swedish part: administration, the consolidation of royal power, economic development, the progress of public education and publishing. The Danish Saaremaa. 5) The third Northern War and the political situation in Northern Europe after it. The Russian imperial administration. The "golden times of the Baltic aristocracy" and the re-consolidation of the second slavery. 6) The reforms of Catherine II. Enlightenment and "The Latvians" by G.H. Merkel. 7)Political and economic change in the first half of the nineteenth century. The agrarian reforms and the emancipation of peasants. 8) The change of elites in the modernizing world. 9) Latvian and Estonian national movements and their regional-specific features. Russification. 10) Revolution of 1905. Modernization process in the Baltic lands within the framework of the Russian empire. 11) The WWI and the formation of modern states. The international situation of the Baltic states. Baltic Entente. 12) The economy and society in Estonia and Latvia 1918-1940. The experiments of democracy. The rules of Päts a Ulmanis.
Teaching methods
Lectures, class discussions, paper presentations, prescribed reading.
Assessment methods
The presentation of the paper according to prescribed literature (max 5 points), participation in discussions (max. 5 points), and final written examination (max 5 points). Students should collect at least 12 points for gaining credit.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught once in two years.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2021, Spring 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2025/BA_14