AJ5305 Cold War Issues

Faculty of Education
Spring 2023
Extent and Intensity
0/1/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Michael George, M.A. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Lucie Podroužková, Ph.D.
Department of English Language and Literature – Faculty of Education
Contact Person: Jana Popelková
Supplier department: Department of English Language and Literature – Faculty of Education
Timetable of Seminar Groups
AJ5305/01: Sat 4. 3. 8:00–13:50 učebna 54, Sat 6. 5. 8:00–13:50 učebna 54, M. George
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 20 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 6/20, only registered: 0/20, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/20
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
This course is a brief overview of the cold war from both points of view. The first meeting is focused on the events from the late 1940’s to the early 1960’s through documentary videos and discussion of the assigned texts. During the 10 weeks after that meeting, students do their own research and present their findings on the on-line class forum. This research may take the form of traditional academic research, an interview with someone with first hand experience, a study of how the cold war affected a local community, family, etc. The last meeting will deal with events from the mid 1960’s to 1989 through more video documentaries and analysis of primary sources.
The aims of the course are:
to identify the roots of the cold war
to appraise the reality and strategy of the nuclear arms race
to analyze the flash points and "near misses" of nuclear conflagration
to evaluate the lasting cultural effect of the cold war
Syllabus
  • This course is organized as a block option, meaning that the class meets as a group for 6 hours at the beginning of the semester, then remains in weekly contact throughout the semester as students post their research and comment on the postings of others. The semester then ends with another 6 hour block class meeting.
  • Preparation for the first class meeting consists of reading assigned primary sources from the late 1940's, 1950's and early 1960's.
  • Students are free to choose their own topics for research (1,000 - 2,500 words)
  • preparation for the last class meeting consists of reading primary sources taken from the late 1960's to 1989.
Literature
  • Jervis, Robert. The Meaning of the Nuclear Revolution. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1989. 0-8014-9565-2 Smoke, Richard. National Security and the Nuclear Dilemma. New York: Random House, 1987. 0-394-35800-7. Ambrose, Stephen E. Rise to Globalism – A
  • LAFEBER, Walter. America, Russia, and the cold war, 1945-1990. 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1991, xi, 370. ISBN 0075575574. info
Teaching methods
This course is organized as a block option seminar, meaning that the class meets as a "round table" discussion group for 6 hours at the beginning of the semester, then remains in weekly contact throughout the semester as students post their research and comment on the postings of others. The semester then ends with another 6 hour discussion about the latter years of the cold war.
Assessment methods
preparation, attendance and full voluntary participation of all 6 hours of both workshops, 1,000 - 2,5000 word research project upoladed to course forum, response to all other research papers uploaded in forum.
Workshop material excerpted in part from: Jervis, Robert. The Meaning of the Nuclear Revolution. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1989. 0-8014-9565-2 Smoke, Richard. National Security and the Nuclear Dilemma. New York: Random House, 1987. 0-394-35800-7. Ambrose, Stephen E. Rise to Globalism – American Foreign Policy Since 1938. New York: Viking Penguin, 1988. 0-14-022826-8
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
General note: Předmět bude realizován, pokud se přihlásí alespoň 15 studentů.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 12 hodin ve 2 blocích.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2022, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2023, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/ped/spring2023/AJ5305