HIAKb112 Exam: 20th-Century History

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
0/0/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Tomáš Dvořák, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Denisa Nečasová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Jiří Němec, Ph.D. (lecturer)
PhDr. Libor Vykoupil, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Tomáš Dvořák, Ph.D.
Department of History – Faculty of Arts
Supplier department: Department of History – Faculty of Arts
Prerequisites (in Czech)
( HIAKb112a Europe after 1945 || NOW( HIAKb112a Europe after 1945 )) && ( HIAKb112d Czech History in the 20th Cent || NOW( HIAKb112d Czech History in the 20th Cent )) && ( HIAKb112c General History in the 20th C. || NOW( HIAKb112c General History in the 20th C. ))
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
A comprehensive oral exam concludes the study of the history of the 20th century. It verifies the extent to which students understand the basic aspects of historical development in Czechoslovakia and in Europe. The exam emphasizes terminological clarity, a basic overview of sources and literature on individual topics, and orientation in the international-political situation. The student should demonstrate the ability to relate important events to a wider European/world context, as well as to the context of developments in the given period.
Learning outcomes
Students will be able to thoroughly explain the specifics of Central Europe and its states in the observed period, the main events and trends in the development of European society in the second half of the 20th century; understand the meaning and argue in discussions on various related topics; orient themselves in the problems of the political, social and cultural life of the Czechoslovak Republic.
Syllabus
  • Thematic areas for the comprehensive exam on the history of the 20th century: AND. 1. Problems of periodization XX. century 2. Contemporary history. Historikerstrait 3. Basic changes in the society of European civilization during the XX. century 4. Culture as a reflection of XX history. age. Culture and power. Culture and the mass phenomenon 5. The First World War as a formative experience of the revolution of values 6. Delineation of Central Europe in the XX. century 7. Nationalism, types, meaning and methods of solving national conflicts 8. Migration as a characteristic phenomenon of the XX. century. Types, causes and consequences 9. Globalization 10. Scientific and technological progress and its role in the history of the XX. century 11. The role of religion and religious institutions in European and non-European societies 12. The problem of so-called globalization in the 20th century (economy, ideology, culture, lifestyle) 13. The course and decisive economic, political and military moments of the First World War 14. The Versailles system as a project of the new world order. Expectations, problems and results 15. Conference, Reparations, Security, League of Nations. Efforts for greater security and economic cooperation in Europe 16. Democratization of European societies, totalitarian and authoritarian ideologies as an alternative to the democratic organization of society. The role of ideologies 17. International relations and politics before and during II. world war 18. Development of European powers in the interwar period (England, France, Britain, Germany, Italy) 19. Central European states 1918-1945. Between democracy and totalitarianism 20. The course and decisive economic, political and military moments of the Second World War 21. Changes in the distribution of power in world politics in the XX. century 22. Results II. world wars, the new order of the world, the question of post-war Germany 23. Formation of the so-called Eastern Bloc. Stalinization of Central and Eastern European countries 24. Post-war reconstruction of Western Europe. Political arrangement and development in individual states Economic miracle vs. economic problems 25. Basic development moments of the European political and economic integration project 26. Cold War until the mid-1950s 27. Liberalization and crisis in international relations in the 1950s to the 1980s 28. Development of power in Eastern Europe. Crisis moments of communist regimes and their overcoming. The breakdown of communist ideology and power 29. Erosion and disintegration of the colonial system. Problems and instability of successor states 30. Basic features of the development of the USA 31. Basic development features of Russia, or USSR 32. Basic features of China's development 33. Basic features of the development of Japan 34. Basic features of the development of Latin America 35. Near and Middle East 36. Basic features of economic development after the First World War 37. Basic features of economic development after the Second World War II. 1. Periodization of Czech/Czechoslovak history XX. century 2. The so-called white spots on the map of Czech history of the 20th century 3. Contemporary history in the Czech environment, definitions, themes 4. Important sources of sources for Czech history XX. century 5. The emergence of independent Czechoslovakia 6. Form and development of the relationship between Czechs and Slovaks 7. Relations between Czechs and Germans, their development and outcome 8. National and religious situation in interwar Czechoslovakia 9. Subcarpathian Rus 10. Development of state administration and territorial-administrative organization in the years 1918-1989 11. Czechoslovak foreign policy 1918-1938 12. Czechoslovakia part of Central Europe, relations with neighboring states 13. Constitution and political system of the first republic. Political parties 14. "Castle" and "Five" 15. The most important moments of political rivalry in the 1920s 16. Economic development of the interwar Czechoslovakia, social issue 17. Czechoslovak crisis 18. Communism and fascism on the Czechoslovak political scene 19. Society during the First Republic 20. Science and technology 21. Culture and education 22. Political crisis and the disintegration of the first Czechoslovakia 23. Politics and society in the period of the so-called Second Republic 24. Occupation of Czechoslovakia, Nazi policy and method of administration of the Protectorate and territories annexed to the empire 25. Slovak State (1939-1945) and its role in the Nazi organization of Central Europe 26. Czech Society under Occupation. The issue of resistance and collaboration 27. Restoration of the Czechoslovak state abroad, foreign resistance 28. The liberation of Czechoslovakia, the origin, form and basic problems of "people's democracy" in the period of the so-called third republic 29. National and social revolution. Forced and controlled population migration and asset transfers 30. Czechoslovakia part of the Soviet sphere of influence, the rise of communism to power 31. The 1950s – the consolidation of communist power and the controlled transformation of social and economic structures. The issue of the third resistance. Surviving Stalinism 32. Sixties - attempt to reform the system and its problems. The origins, course and end of the so-called Prague Spring 33. Period of "normalization". Exile and Dissent after 1968 34. Changes in society and everyday life after the Second World War 35. Science, education and culture after the Second World War
Literature
  • Literatura viz informace učitele
Teaching methods
Lectures in special seminars
Assessment methods
Oral examination
Language of instruction
Czech
Study support
https://is.muni.cz/auth/el/phil/jaro2025/HIAKb112/um/
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught each semester.
General note: Součástí zkoušky je látka předmětů HIAKb112a, HIAKb112d a HIAKb112c.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Zapisujte po absolvování předmětů HIAKb112a, HIAKb112d a HIAKb112c anebo současně s těmito předměty.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2023, Spring 2024, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2025/HIAKb112