FSS:CORE161 The rise and fall(?) of the We - Course Information

CORE161 The rise and fall(?) of the West

Extent and Intensity

2/0/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
In-person direct teaching

Teacher(s)

doc. Mgr. et Mgr. Oldřich Krpec, Ph.D. (lecturer)

Guaranteed by

doc. Mgr. et Mgr. Oldřich Krpec, 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)

!TYP_STUDIA(ND) && !PROGRAM(B-MV) && !PROGRAM(B-EVS)

Course Enrolment Limitations

The course is offered to students of any study field.
The capacity limit for the course is 120 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/120, only registered: 0/120, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/120

Course objectives

The course "The Rise and Fall(?) of the West" provides students with an interdisciplinary perspective on key moments and processes that shaped the development of the West in a global context. Its aim is to connect historical, political, and economic insights with an understanding of contemporary global challenges. The course offers a comprehensive overview of the emergence of the modern nation-state, the Industrial Revolution, colonialism, world wars, the Cold War, and the current rivalry between the West and new global players. It is designed for students from various disciplines, requires no prior specialization, and fosters critical thinking and the ability to synthesize different perspectives.

Learning outcomes

Students will be able to explain the main historical, political, and economic factors that shaped the West and its role in the world from the Industrial Revolution to the present.
Students will analyze the consequences of key historical events, such as world wars, colonialism, and the Cold War, for the contemporary global system.
Students will critically assess the significance of the West in relation to current challenges, such as rivalry with China or sustainability issues.
Students will develop the ability to connect insights from history, political science, and economics to better understand contemporary issues.
The course will enhance skills in presenting opinions and working with scholarly sources.

Syllabus

• - Introduction to the study of the West – concepts and course objectives.
• - The emergence of the modern nation-state – the English and French revolutions.
• - The Industrial Revolution and the rise of the modern economy.
• - Colonialism and its impact on the world system.
• - The First World War – consequences for politics and economy.
• - The Cold War and the division of the world.
• - The Marshall Plan and European integration.
• - The benevolent hegemony of the USA and global institutions.
• - The crisis of the West – neoliberalism and populism.
• - The rise of China and global rivalry.
• - The return of geopolitics and trade wars.
• - Conclusion – the future of the West in a changing world.

Literature

recommended literature
• The rise and fall of the great powers economic change and military conflict from 1500 to 2000 (Orig.) : Vzestup a pád velmocí : ekonomické změny a vojenské konflikty v letech 1500-2000. info
• Empire: How Britain made the modern world
• KŘÍŽ, Zdeněk. Cesta z Ruska : ruská agrese proti Ukrajině a její důsledky. První vydání. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2023, 168 stran. ISBN 9788028002602. URL info
• FRANKOPAN, Peter. The new silk roads : the present and future of the world. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2019, 356 stran. ISBN 9781526608062. info
• APPEL, Hilary and Mitchell A. ORENSTEIN. From triumph to crisis : neoliberal economic reform in postcommunist countries. First published. Singapore: Cambridge University Press, 2018, xi, 243. ISBN 9781108435055. info
• LEVITSKY, Steven and Daniel ZIBLATT. How democracies die. First published. Great Britain: Viking, an imprint of Penguin Books, 2018, 312 stran. ISBN 9780241336496. info
• USHERWOOD, Simon McDougall and John PINDER. The European Union : a very short introduction. Fourth edition. Oxford: Oxford university press, 2018, xix, 174. ISBN 9780198808855. info
• HARARI, Yuval N. 21 lessons for the 21st century. London: Jonathan Cape, 2018, xv, 352. ISBN 9781787330672. info
• ACEMOGLU, Daron. Why nations fail : the origins of power, prosperity, and poverty. Edited by James A. Robinson. London: Profile Books, 2012, xi, 529. ISBN 9781846686108. info
• FUKUYAMA, Francis. The origins of political order : from prehuman times to the French Revolution. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011, xiv, 585. ISBN 9780374533229. info
• JUDT, Tony. Postwar : a history of Europe since 1945. London: Vintage Books, 2010, xv, 933. ISBN 9780099542032. info
• EICHENGREEN, Barry J. The European economy since 1945 : coordinated capitalism and beyond. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2007, xx, 495. ISBN 9780691138480. info
• FRIEDEN, Jeffry A. Global capitalism : its fall and rise in the twentieth century. 1st ed. as a Norton paperbac. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2006, xvii, 556. ISBN 039332981X. info
• SKIDMORE, Thomas E. and Peter H. SMITH. Modern Latin America. 6th ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005, xiii, 512. ISBN 019517013X. info
• GADDIS, John Lewis. The Cold War : a new history. New York: Penguin Press, 2005, xii, 331. ISBN 1594200629. info
• KEEGAN, John. První světová válka [Keegan, 2003] : The first world war (Orig.). Translated by Leonid Křížek. 1. vyd. Praha: BETA, 2003, 383 s., [2. ISBN 80-7306-062-0-. info
• IRWIN, Douglas A. Against the tide : an intellectual history of free trade. 1. ed. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1998, viii, 265. ISBN 0-691-01138-9. info

not specified
• KROEBER, Arthur R. China's economy : what everyone needs to know®. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2016, xii, 319. ISBN 9780190239039. info

Teaching methods

The teaching methods include interactive lectures supplemented with visual materials such as maps, photographs, and videos. Students will have access to presentations and literature through the interactive syllabus in the information system. The course encourages critical discussion and case study analysis.

Assessment methods

The course concludes with a written test assessing the knowledge of the covered material. The test includes multiple-choice questions and one open essay on a key course topic.

Náhradní absolvování

In the case of international mobility, the course can be completed through a consultation with the instructor and the final test. Details are available in the interactive syllabus.

Language of instruction

Czech

Further Comments

The course is taught annually.

• Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2026, recent)
  
• Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2026/CORE161