CORE155 Success story or betrayal of a dream? Czech democracy in a global context

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
prof. PhDr. Lubomír Kopeček, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Lubomír Kopeček, Ph.D.
Department of Political Science – Faculty of Social Studies
Supplier department: Department of Political Science – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Mon 16:00–17:40 P51 Posluchárna V. Čermáka
Prerequisites (in Czech)
!TYP_STUDIA(ND) && !PROGRAM(B-SODE)
Předmět není určen pro studenty studijního programu Soudobých dějin s ohledem na fakt, že v průběhu studia budou absolvovat částečně podobně zaměřený kurs. Dále vzhledem k zaměření předmětu především na Česko je doporučené, aby si studenti ze Slovenska dobře zvážili jeho zapsání.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is offered to students of any study field.
The capacity limit for the course is 120 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 119/120, only registered: 0/120, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/120
Course objectives
The development of Czech democracy after 1989 has been and continues to be the subject of great debate. These discussions often slide into simplistic judgments that often overlook what Czech democracy was born out of, as well as the external geopolitical influences that have affected it and still sometimes affect it today. The course connects both the past and the present, and the story of Czech democracy with the Central European and wider international context. It thus offers a coherent overview of the political (and additionally social and economic) development of the last few decades. The interpretation follows a chronological explanatory line, which facilitates the understanding of the context and allows a good orientation in the topics discussed.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, students should be able to understand and explain the key moments and context of the evolution of the Czech democracy after 1989.
Syllabus
1) Czechoslovak communist regime, society and opposition before the Velvet Revolution (in the context of the end of the Cold War, the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc); 2) The Velvet Revolution: from the strategy of external control of power to the occupation of political positions; 3) The era of innocence: the formation of the political spectrum and the role of political leaders; 4) Key issues influencing the post-November reality (especially decommunization and economic transformation) and the context of the surrounding Central European countries; 5) The 1996 elections and the first "bad mood"; 6) Deformation of democracy? The Opposition Agreement of 1998-2002; 7) The barbarisation of Czech politics and unstable governance; 8) The electoral earthquakes and the impact of global influences (especially the financial and economic crisis); 9) The rise of political entrepreneur parties; 10) Turning point in 2013 and debate on the Czech case in the context of other Central European countries; 11) A debate with a former politician.
Literature
  • Kopeček, Lubomír: Éra nevinnosti. Česká politika 1989-1997. Brno 2010 (vybrané stránky).
  • Suk, Jiří: Labyrintem revoluce. Aktéři, zápletky a křižovatky jedné politické krize. Praha: Prostor 2003, respektive 2009 (vybrané stránky).
Teaching methods
lectures, class discussions, reading.
Assessment methods
Written test; oral colloquium.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2025/CORE155