EVSn4004 Europe after 1989

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
prof. PhDr. Vít Hloušek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Vít Hloušek, 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
Prerequisites (in Czech)
! EVS409 Europe after 1989 && !NOW( EVS409 Europe after 1989 )
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course deals with the political development of Europe after 1989. The aim is to reflect on the key changes that Europe has gone through in the past twenty years and through which political developments in the western, central and partly eastern parts of the continent have converged. The course structure favours the analysis of more general processes over singular events. The subject is grasped in an interdisciplinary way combining political science and historical approaches.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, student will be able to apply basic methods of the critique of sources, to compose key trends of European political development after the fall of the “Iron Curtain” and to appraise their impact on contemporary European politics.
Syllabus
  • 1) Introduction to the subject 2) Area difference in Europe and its changes 3) Transition to democracy in Central and Eastern Europe 4) Politics in Central Europe 5) Balkan Politics 6) Temptation of illiberal democracy 7) Politics in Western Europe 8) Politics in Southern Europe 9) Economic dynamics of Europe 10) Social dynamics of Europe 11) Pandemic dynamics of Europe
Literature
  • Central and East European politics : from communism to democracy. Edited by Sharon L. Wolchik - Jane Leftwich Curry. Fourth edition. London: Rowman & Littlefield, 2018, xii, 570. ISBN 9781538100882. info
  • Europe today : a twenty-first century introduction. Edited by Ronald Tiersky - Erik Jones. 5th ed. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2015, xix, 468. ISBN 9781442221093. info
  • MAGONE, José M. Contemporary european politics : a comparative introduction. First publ. New York, NY: Routledge, 2011, 651 s. ISBN 9780415418935. info
  • JUDT, Tony. Postwar : a history of Europe since 1945. London: Vintage Books, 2010, xv, 933. ISBN 9780099542032. info
Teaching methods
The course combines lectures with seminars. In the framework of seminar sessions, students will read and interpret primary sources to contemporary history. Part of the learning process is also written factographical tests aimed at active mastering of assigned readings and their interpretation.
Assessment methods
The subject is completed with an oral examination. The overall evaluation comprises an oral exam (up to 50 points), a seminar paper and its presentation (up to 40 points), and attendance of seminars (up to 10 points). To pass the course means to collect at least 60 points.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Zapisují studenti od im. roku 2010/2011.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2025/EVSn4004