DE3A09 History of Central Europe

Faculty of Education
Autumn 2022
Extent and Intensity
1/0/0. 2 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. et Mgr. Jana Vlčková Musilová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. et Mgr. Jana Vlčková Musilová, Ph.D.
Department of History – Faculty of Education
Contact Person: PhDr. Kamil Štěpánek, CSc.
Supplier department: Department of History – Faculty of Education
Timetable
Mon 15:00–15:50 učebna 50, except Mon 24. 10.
Prerequisites
English B2
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 35 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 15/35, only registered: 0/35, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/35
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Course Modern History of Central Europe is designed to be the equivalent of a one-semester introductory to european history of Austria, Czechoslovakia, Germany (Wiemar Republic, Nazi Germany, German Democratic Republic), Hungary and Poland in 20th century. In the course Modern History of Central Europe students investigate significant events, individuals, developments, and processes in 20th century from approximately 1918 to 1991. The course also provides major themes that students explore throughout the course in order to make connections among historical developments in different times and places: interaction of Europe and Non – European countries in 20th century.
Learning outcomes
Students develop and use the same skills, practices, and methods employed by historians: analyzing historical evidence and interpretation; contextualization; comparison; causation; change and continuity over time; argument development and work with sources.
Syllabus
  • 1. Central Europe Phenomenon. Paris Peace Conference and the Versailles-Washington peace system. The emergence of successor states after World War I. 2. Problems and challenges of the successor states. 3. Wiemar Republic. 4. First flaws of the peace system in Central Europe. 5.On the Eve of World War II and World War II in Central Europe. 6. Central Europe after World War II and the beginning of the Cold War. 7. Rise of Communism in Central Europe as a whole and in Czechoslovakia in particular. 8. The first signs of disagreement with the communist regime and the beginning of the repression. 9.Central European upraising against Soviet power. 10. After Prague Spring... 11. Towards the gradual collapse of communism and Soviet control in Central Europe. 12. Fall of the Iron Curtain and the end of the Cold War.
Literature
    required literature
  • Return to diversity : a political history of East Central Europe since World War II. Edited by Joseph Rothschild - Nancy M. Wingfield. 4th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008, xii, 274. ISBN 9780195334753. URL info
    recommended literature
  • HAVEL, Václav. The power of the powerless : citizens against the state in central-eastern Europe. Edited by John Keane, Edited by Steven Lukes. New York: M.E. Sharpe, 1985, 228 s. ISBN 0-87332-370-X. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, reading and analyses of selected texts, class discussion, films/or their parts, documentary films or their parts.
Assessment methods
Colloquium. Question: 1. Paris Peace Conference and the Versailles-Washington peace system and its effects. 2. World War I, causes and effects of World War I. 3. Central Europe after World war I. 4. World War II, causes and effects of World War II. 5. Central Europe after World War II. 6. Cold War. 7. Rise of Communism in the Central Europe. 8. Beginning of the criticism of the communist parties rule in the Central Europe. 9. Prague Spring and Normalization (Czechoslovakia). 10. Changing world: USA and USSR in the second half of the 20th century. 11. Gorbachev's reforms and fall of the USSR. 12. Fall of the Iron Curtain and beginning of the democratization process in the Central Europe .
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 4 hodiny.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2022, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/ped/autumn2022/DE3A09