8. Workshop on Central Europe in Transition: Developments in Poland (9. 11.)




   Lecturer: Pavel Pšeja


Objective: To outline major elements in respective developments taking place in three other
countries.


Lecture: In this session, internal developments of these countries will be elaborated. Issues like
characteristics of political system, elements of (re)emerging political culture and some major
points of political and social controversy will be brought to the attention of the students, who
are supposed to participate actively in bringing up new points of view. Moreover, developments
under discussion will be related to similar processes in the Czech Republic to show what common
features (and discrepancies) are to found in Central European countries.


Assigned reading:

Michta, Andrew A. (1999): “Democratic consolidation in Poland after 1989”, in Dawisha, Karen,
Parrott, Bruce (eds.), The Consolidation of Democracy in East-Central Europe, Cambridge University
Press, Cambridge, pp. 66-108.


Additional reading:

Ágh, Attila (1998): The Politics of Central Europe, Sage, London.

Batt, Judy, Lewis, Paul G., White, Stephen (eds., 2003), Developments in Central and East European
Politics 3, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke.


Issues for discussion:

Comparison of similarities and differences in the political development of the Czech Republic and
Poland.

Special features of the Polish society that make it different from other CE countries.