MVZ418 German Foreign and Defence Policy

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2015
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Jana Urbanovská, Ph.D. (lecturer)
prof. PhDr. Zdeněk Kříž, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Vratislav Havlík, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Stanislava Brajerčíková (assistant)
Guaranteed by
PhDr. Petr Suchý, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Supplier department: Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Thu 13:30–15:00 M117
Prerequisites
The knowledge of German language is an advantage, it is however not a precondition for a successful completion of the course.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 48 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/48, only registered: 0/48
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course focuses on the interpretation and analysis of German foreign and security policy. Emphasis is in particular placed on the German foreign and security policy after the reunification, whereby certain attention is paid to historical themes as well. In the analysis of German foreign and security policy, students will learn to utilize theoretical concepts of “power”, “civil power” and “trading state”. In terms of methodology, they will learn to use the method of historical description and comparative analysis. On successful completion of the course, students will get a data basis relating to the German foreign policy, they will strengthen their understanding of the historical context of Germany's foreign policy, they will be able to define the main differences in comparison with other European powers, and to analyze its basic current trends on the basis of the theory of international relations.
Syllabus
  • 1) Introduction (JU)
  • 2) Main actors and theoretical basis of the German foreign and security policy (JU)
  • 3) German foreign and security policy between 1945-1990 (JU)
  • 4) German unification and German foreign policy between 1990-1998 and 1998-2005 (JU)
  • 5) Reading week
  • 6) German foreign policy between 2005-2009 and 2009-2013 (JU)
  • 7) German security policy after reunification (ZK)
  • 8) German bilateral relations (JU)
  • 9) German participation in out-of-area missions (ZK)
  • 10) Germany as a leader in the process of European intergration (VH)
  • 11) Bundeswehr reform (ZK)
  • 12) Angela Merkel: a foreign policy biography (JU)
  • 13) Evaluation of German foreign and security policy (JU)
Literature
  • HELLMANN, Gunther, Rainer BAUMANN and Wolfgang WAGNER. Deutsche Außenpolitik. 2., überarbeitete Aufl. Wiesbaden: Springer VS, 2014, 289 s. ISBN 9783658050214. info
  • KŘÍŽ, Zdeněk and Jana URBANOVSKÁ. Deutschlands Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik nach der Vereinigung. Zivilmacht, Handelsstaat oder Mittelmacht? (German foreign and security policy after unification. Civilian power, trading state or middle power?). 1st ed. Brno: Muni press, 2014, 265 pp. ISBN 978-80-210-7061-5. info
  • FULBROOK, Mary. Dějiny moderního Německa : od roku 1918 po současnost. Translated by Eva Prášková. 1. vyd. Praha: Grada, 2010, 304 s. ISBN 9788024731049. info
  • Handbuch zur deutschen Außenpolitik. Edited by Siegmar Schmidt - Gunther Hellmann - Reinhard Wolf. 1. Aufl. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, 2007, 968 s. ISBN 9783531136523. info
  • EHLER, Tomáš. USA a znovusjednocení Německa : diplomatický proces v letech 1989-1990. 1. vyd. Brno: Masarykova univerzita. Mezinárodní politologický ústav, 2006, 132 s. ISBN 802104067X. info
  • MÜLLER, Helmut, Karel Friedrich KRIEGER, Hanna VOLLRATH and Ivona ŘEZANKOVÁ. Dějiny Německa. Translated by František Kubů. 2. dopl. vyd. Praha: Lidové noviny, 2004, 609 s. ISBN 80-7106-188-3. info
  • MANN, Golo. Dějiny Německa, 1919-1945. Praha: Český spisovatel, 1993, 245 s. ISBN 80-202-0441-5. info
Teaching methods
The course is taught as both lectures and seminars, involving class discussions. Essays aim to improve the ability of students to summarize an issue in the field of German foreign and security policy and to evaluate it critically. Readings serve to broaden and deepen the spectrum of knowledge students acquire during lectures. Presentations serve among others to improve presentation skills of students.
Assessment methods
Compulsory-elective course - B, completed by credit. The course is completed by a written test. To pass the course, it is necessary to submit a presentation on a chosen topic, to elaborate an essay on the given topics and to pass a credit written test with the success rate of 60 % points.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2016, Autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2015, recent)
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