PL_39 Popular Culture in Yugoslavia 1945-1991

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2015
Extent and Intensity
0/0/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Dr. Zoran Janjetović (lecturer), prof. PhDr. Ivo Pospíšil, DrSc. (deputy)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Ivo Pospíšil, DrSc.
Department of Slavonic Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: doc. PhDr. Jiří Gazda, CSc.
Supplier department: Department of Slavonic Studies – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Mon 2. 11. to Fri 6. 11. every day 9:10–12:25 A31
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 40 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/40, only registered: 0/40, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/40
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 71 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Syllabus (in Czech)
  • Monday, November 2
  • Lecture 1-2: Cultural goals of Yugoslav communists; Political and cultural ties to the USSR.
  • It will be explained to what ends the communists in Yugoslavia wanted to use culture after they had come to power and how (and if) these goals changed over time. Political and especially cultural ties with the Soviet Union will be examined and channels of Soviet cultural influence.
  • Lecture 3-4: Cultural infrastructure; Cultural-artistic societies and public performances and events.
  • Social and cultural survey of Yugoslavia will be given. This will include urbanization, levels of literacy, number of newspapers and journals, number and development of radio and TV stations and radio-sets, etc. Cultural-artistic societies as the first basis of mass culture will be dealt with.
  • Tuesday, November 3
  • Lecture 1-2: Yugoslavia’s break with Stalin, reorientation of foreign and economic policy. Changes in cultural policy.
  • It will be shown how Tito’s political break with Stalin caused deep political, cultural and social changes in Yugoslavia. Special attention will be devoted to changes in the field of culture.
  • Lecture 3-4: Changes in popular culture and its infrastructure.
  • The gradual shift from East-oriented popular culture to a West-oriented one will be discussed, as well as the pre-war traditions that were rediscovered and revived.
  • Wednesday, November 4
  • Lecture 1-2: Development of popular music.
  • Development of light music and rock ‘n’ roll, preconditions for their development, foreign musical influences and channels through which they arrived, as well as the stance of the authorities toward them will be dealt with.
  • Lecture 3-4: Development of folk music – preconditions, ways of development and government attitude will be discussed. As a conclusion of this section, the sales numbers, social impact and sociological analysis of musical tastes will be presented.
  • Thursday, November 5
  • Lecture 1-2: Film in socialist Yugoslavia. Partisan movies as a special genre.
  • The beginnings of film production and its development until 1990 will be discussed – both the material and technical details, and topics, social acceptance, regional cooperation, viewers’ numbers etc. The other part will deal with the same topics, but in connection with Yugoslav specialty – films about the partisans: their social and political role and changes over time.
  • Lecture 3-4: Films of the “Black Wave”; “The Prague School”; cartoons; the national film festival in Pula.
  • Two distinct “film schools” will be discussed, as well as the period separating them. Furthermore, the international importance of Yugoslav cartoons. As a conclusion of this section, a review of the national film festival, its weaknesses and importance will be discussed.
  • Friday, November 6
  • Lecture 1-2: Light reading and fun magazines.
  • It will be dealt with lighter reading matters such as books, serial novels, yellow press and comics, their sources and importance for the readers and for publishing houses, as well as with attempts of the regime to keep them under control and use them for their own goals.
  • Lecture 3-4: Popular culture during the final crisis of socialism.
  • The impact of increasingly deep social and economic crisis on popular culture will be shown, the attempts of the authorities to alleviate the crises in popular culture and with means of popular culture will be discussed. As a conclusion, the importance, impact and legacy of Yugoslav socialist popular culture will be discussed.
  • The course has as a goal to present the interdependence of political, economic and cultural developments in socialist Yugoslavia through the prism of popular culture. The questions of social meaning of popular culture, its political management and usability and economic reasons driving it will be in focus. Students will be encouraged to make parallels with the situation in Czechoslovakia.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught only once.
General note: bloková výuka v termínu 2.-6.11.2015, vždy 9:10-12:25, posl. A31.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 5x4 hod. (celkem 20 hod. ).
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