FSS:MVZb2010 The Western Balkans in Trans. - Course Information

MVZb2010 The Western Balkans in Transition: Post-Conflict Transformation of BiH, Croatia and Serbia

Extent and Intensity

1/1. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).

Teacher(s)

doc. Mgr. Vladimir Dordevic, Ph.D. (lecturer)

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

Wed 18:00–19:40 U41

Prerequisites

! MVZ210 The Western Balkans in Trans. && !NOW( MVZ210 The Western Balkans in Trans. )
This course is intended to provide students with comprehensive information concerning post-conflict transformation of three Western Balkans states: BiH, Croatia and Serbia. It is envisaged as a case study approach presenting comparative analysis in democratic transition of three largest ex-Yugoslav republics. In that respect, the course is to instruct students into: 1- Explanatory approaches on disintegration of SFR Yugoslavia and its impact upon the successor states; 2- Theoretical and conceptual framework to the study of post-conflict transformation in the Western Balkans; 3- Democratic transition and current political and social realities in BiH, Croatia, and Serbia, and 4- International perspective in terms of the Euro-Atlantic integrations of the said states and Brexit’s influence on the Western Balkans path to the EU.

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 40 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 3/40, only registered: 0/40

fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with

there are 48 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display

Course objectives

Students attending the course will gain knowledge in the post-conflict transformation in the Western Balkans. In that respect, they will be instructed into (1) analysis of factors that caused dissolution of Yugoslavia and its impact upon the successor states, (2) processes of democratization following the breakup of the joint Yugoslav state, (3) current politico-social realities in the three biggest and most conflict-affected republics as well as the region as a whole, and (4) international perspectives vested in the Euro-Atlantic integrations of the region. Consequently, students will be able to grasp changes that took place in the Western Balkans from the end of the Yugoslav wars to present times and be introduced into analysis of both international and domestic perspectives regarding the region in general and, more specifically, the said states.

Learning outcomes

Students attending the course will gain knowledge in the post-conflict transformation in the Western Balkans.

Syllabus

• Program: 1. Introduction (general info on the course) 2. Dissolution of Socialist Yugoslavia: Review of Explanatory Approaches Required readings: - Jović, Dejan (2009). Yugoslavia: A State that Withered Away. West Lafayette: Purdue University Press *Introduction and Chapter 1, pp. 1-33. Optional information: - BBC documentary ‘The Death of Yugoslavia’ is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_PzsfXbyAw&list=PLqD5Su3ZJjjbCsgVCE90msl9d4nHdV4Pu (please follow all six links for the complete documentary) 3. Democratization and Post-Communist Diversity: The Case of Yugoslav Successor States Required readings: - Zakošek, Nenad (2008). “Democratization, State-building and War: The Cases of Serbia and Croatia,” Democratization 15(3), pp. 588–610. - Zakošek, Nenad (2009). “The Dynamics of Changes: How different are the Transformation Results in Post-Yugoslav Countries,” pp. 159-166, in Proceedings from the Heinrich Böll Stiftung conference: 1989–2009 Years of Upheaval: Beginning of Inclusion or Exclusion?, Heinrich Böll Foundation, Sarajevo, 2009. - Ramet, Sabrina, P. (2011). “Croatia and Serbia since 1991: An Assessment of Their Similarities and Differences,” Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics 27 (2), pp. 263-290. Optional readings: - Schedler, Andrea (1997). “Concepts of Democratic Consolidation,” Institute for Advanced Studies Vienna (Paper prepared for delivery at the 1997 meeting of the Latin American Studies Association (LASA), Continental Plaza Hotel, Guadalajara, Mexico, 17–19 April 1997) - Schedler, Andreas (2001). “Measuring Democratic Consolidation,” Studies in Comparative International Development (SCID) 36, (1), pp. 66-92. - Schneider, C., Q., and Schmitter, P., C. (2004). “Liberalization, Transition and Consolidation: Measuring the Components of Democratization,” Democratization 11, (5), pp. 59-90. - Diamond, Larry and Morlino, Leonardo (ed.) (2005). Assessing the Quality of Democracy. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press and the National Endowment for Democracy *Introduction, pp. ix-xliii - Diamond, Larry, Plattner, Marc, F. and Costopoulos, Philip, J. (2010). Debates on Democratization. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press and the National Endowment for Democracy *Chapter 6, pp. 77-94. 4. Comparative Perspective I: Post-Dayton Bosnia and Herzegovina Required readings: - Bieber, Florian (2006). Post-War Bosnia: Ethnicity, Inequality and Public Sector Governance. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire; New York: Palgrave Macmillan *Chapters 3, 4, 5, and 6, pp. 29-93 and 108-122. 5. Comparative Perspective II: Post-war Croatia Required readings: - Clewing, Konrad, Lukic, Reneo and Ramet, Sabrina, P. (ed.) (2008). Croatia since Independence: War, Politics, Society, Foreign Relations. München: Oldenbourg Verlagsgruppe *Chapter 2, pp. 31-51. - Dawisha, Karen and Parrott, Bruce (ed.) (1997). Politics, Power, and the Struggle for Democracy in South-East Europe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press *Chapter 3, pp. 100-113. 6. Comparative Perspective III: Post-conflict Serbia Required readings: - Gordy, Eric, D. (1997). “Investigating the Destruction of Alternatives,” Problems of Post-Communism 44 (4), pp. 12-22. - Dawisha, Karen and Parrott, Bruce (ed.) (1997). Politics, Power, and the Struggle for Democracy in South-East Europe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press *Chapter 5, pp. 179-184. - Thomas, Robert (1999). Serbia under Miloševiċ: Politics in the 1990s. London: C. Hurst and Co. Publishers *Conclusion, pp. 422-433. Optional readings: - Dawisha, Karen and Parrott, Bruce (ed.) (1997). Politics, Power, and the Struggle for Democracy in South-East Europe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press *Chapter 5, pp. 146-179. 7. Different Roads to Democracy I: Is Bosnia and Herzegovina a Case of Failed Democratization? Required readings: - Bose, Sumantra (2005). “The Bosnian State Decade After Dayton,” International Peacekeeping 12 (3), pp. 322–335. - Belloni, Roberto (2009). “Bosnia: Dayton is Dead! Long Live Dayton!” Nationalism and Ethnic Politics 15, pp. 355-375. - Lejla Turčilo (2013). “Bosnia-Herzegovina and the European Union: Strong European Identity in Spite of Scepticism.” Brussels: Heinrich Bőll Foundation European Union, pp. 1-7. - Nations in Transit, “BiH 2017,” pp. 1-14. Optional readings: - Knaus, Gerald, and Martin, Felix (2003). “Travails of the European Raj,” Journal of Democracy 14 (3), pp. 60-74. - Marko, Joseph (2005). “Post-conflict Reconstruction through State- and Nation-Building: The Case of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” European Diversity and Autonomy Papers- EDAP 4 (EDAP papers are available at: www.eurac.edu/edap) - Chandler, David (2005). “From Dayton to Europe,” International Peacekeeping 12 (3), pp. 336–349. - Divjak, Boris and Pugh, Michael (2008). “The Political Economy of Corruption in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” International Peacekeeping 15 (3), pp. 373–386. 8. Different Roads to Democracy II: ‘Restarting’ Croatia after Tudjman Required readings: - Bideleux Robert, and Jeffries, Ian (2007). The Balkans: a Post-Communist History. New York: Routledge *Chapter 5, pp. 216-233. - Clewing, Konrad, Lukic, Reneo and Ramet, Sabrina, P. (ed.) (2008). Croatia since Independence: War, Politics, Society, Foreign Relations. München: Oldenbourg Verlagsgruppe *Introduction, 11-31. - Orešković, Luka (2014). “Croatia and the EU: Revisiting the Conditionality Principle.” Huffington Post, pp. 1-2. - Nations in Transit, “Croatia 2017,” pp. 1-11. Optional readings: - Bellamy, Alex, J. (2001). "Croatia after Tudjman," Problems of Post-Communism 48 (5), pp. 18-31. - Ramet, Sabrina, P. and Matić, Davorka (ed.) (2007). Democratic Transition in Croatia: Value Transformation, Education & Media. Texas A&M University Press *Conclusion, pp. 354-379. 9. Different Roads to Democracy III: Is Post-Milošević Serbia a Democracy Going Backwards? Required readings: - Ramet, Sabrina, P. (2007). “The Denial Syndrome and its Consequences: Serbian Political Culture since 2000,” Communist and Post-Communist Studies 40, pp. 41- 58. - Listhaug, Ola, Ramet, Sabrina, P. and Dulić, Dragana (ed.) (2011). Civic and Uncivic Values: Serbia in the post-Milošević Era. Budapest: Central European University Press *Chapters 1 and 2, pp. 3- 41. - Gvosdev, Nikolas, K. (2013). “Kosovo and Serbia Make a Deal: Debalkanizing the Balkans,” Foreign Affairs, pp. 1-3. - Stratulat, Corina (2014). “Serbia’s EU path is not a ‘walk in the park,’” EurActiv, pp. 1-3. - Nations in Transit, “Serbia 2017,” pp. 1-11. Optional readings: - Ramet, Sabrina, P. and Pavlakovic, Vjeran (ed.) (2005). Serbia since 1989: Politics and Society under Milos̆ević and After. Washington: University of Washington Press *Chapters 3 and 4, pp. 55-125. - Ramet, Sabrina, P. (2010). “Serbia since July 2008: at the Doorstep of the EU,” Südosteuropa 58 (1), pp. 15-40. 10. Legacy of Communist and Socialist Parties in the Western Balkans/ Current Political Perspectives Required readings: - Emerson, Peter and Stojarova, Vera (eds.) (2009). Party Politics in the Western Balkans. New York: Routledge *Chapter 2, pp. 26-42. - European Forum for Democracy and Solidarity, “BiH country update,” 2017, pp. 1-14. - Raos, Višeslav (2016). “Croatia’s fallen Orešković government was a messy but healthy experiment in democracy,” LSE Blog, pp. 1-3. - European Parliamentary Research Service, “Serbian Political Parties,” 2015, pp. 1-2. - Petsinis, Vassilis (2017). “Competing conservatisms in Serbia and Croatia,” Open Democracy, pp. 1-4. 11. International Perspective I: Prospects of the Euro-Atlantic Integrations/ Regional Overview and Relations Required readings: - Nič, Milan (2013). “The EU’s Role in the Western Balkans after Croatian Accession,” CEPI Policy Brief, pp. 1-3. - Dempsey, Judy (2015). “The Balkans’ Rocky Path to Democracy,” Strategic Europe, pp. 1-2. - Bieber, Florian (2016). “Ever Farther Union: Balkans and the Brexit,” Freedom House Brief, pp. 1-4. -European Western Balkans (EWB) Interview with H. Swoboda, 2016, pp. 1-3. 12. International Perspective II: Prospects of the Euro-Atlantic Integrations/ Regional Overview and Relations/ *Course wrap-up Required readings: - Aybet, Gülnur, Moore, Rebecca, R. and Freedman, Lawrence (2010). NATO in Search of a Vision. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press *Chapter 8, pp. 175-201. - United States Congress, House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia and Emerging Threats Hearing: “Progress and Challenges in the Western Balkans,” Testimony by Ivan Vejvoda, 2015, pp. 1-8. - EU Engagement in the Western Balkans, EU Factsheet, 2017, pp. 1-3. Optional readings: - Belloni, Roberto (2009). “European Integration and the Western Balkans: Lessons, Prospects and Obstacles,” Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies 11 (3), pp. 313-331.

Literature

• Materials as given in the syllabus and provided in the IS

Teaching methods

1) Students are expected to attend lectures and only those who have attended 60% of lectures (7 lectures) will be allowed to sit the Final exam. On the other hand, students are invited to contribute actively in discussions if they wish to do so. Active participation is recommended but not obligatory! Those actively contributing by asking questions, discussing issues at hand, and participating in group work (depending on a topic) will be granted additional points at the end of the course and will have a chance of achieving better grades. Class activity is highly recommended, especially if one is to achieve grade higher than ‘B.’ 2) Students are expected to read all Required readings and it will be assumed that students have read them (42 pages per week). Optional readings are not compulsory (and also not added to certain seminars) for successful completion of the course, but are listed as important sources of additional information on topics at hand, thus those students interested in further explorations of respective topics may consult these readings. The first seminar has no readings assigned. 3) Students are required to write 6 short position papers (3600-4200 characters, i.e. 2-2.5 pages) for seminars of their choice. Position papers should include a Summary of main points of required readings, a Critique of these readings and Questions for discussion. Thus, position papers must have three clearly identified sections: 1. Summary, 2. Critique and 3. Questions. Position papers that do not meet this requirement will be rejected and no points will be awarded. It shall be noted that the second section, the one of Critique, is deemed the most important because it reflects one’s personal stance on issue(s) at hand, thus this section needs to be the longest one in a position paper (i.e. not less than one page and not more than page and a half long). Position papers should be inserted into a proper Folder in “Student Papers” (according to the seminar dates) in IS (Information System) not later than 30 hours (Tuesday at 14h) before designated lecture. Uploading papers into IS later than required will result in papers being rejected regardless of reasons stated by students. In addition, all students must have at least 3 position papers in the IS by 8 November 2017 and those who do not fulfill this requirement shall be immediately penalized by failing the course. Last of all, uploading more than one position paper per week, or sending position papers via mail to the lecturer, is not allowed under any given circumstances. 4) Final in-class exam is to be taken by all students at the end of the course, and, if one chooses not to take the exam, he/she shall fail the course regardless of the number of points achieved with position papers written or by having participated in class activities.

Assessment methods

Grading: The final grade will be calculated as a composite evaluation of two parts: 1) 5 position papers>> each max. 10 points, i.e. 5 x 10 points = total 50 points; 2) Final exam>> 2 questions x max. 7 points (2 x 7) + 2 questions x max. 5 points (2 x 5) + 1 question x max. 1 point (1 x 1) = 14 + 10 + 1= total 25 points. Maximum: 85 points. Pass: 55 points (65%). **Points for activity during lectures (discussions) are awarded at the end of the course only to active students. Students active on or more than 70% of discussions= 10 points, those active on 50% - 70% of discussions= 5 points, those active on 30% - 50% of discussions= 3 points, and those active on less than 20% of discussions= 0 points. *Grades: A> 80 – 85 points B> 73 – 79 points C> 66 – 72 points D> 61 – 65 points E> 55 – 60 points F> 54 points and less Workload: -5 position papers -Readings (42 pages per week) and discussions -Final exam

Language of instruction

English

Further comments (probably available only in Czech)

Study Materials
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
The course is taught annually.

• Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2021, recent)
  
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