20.5. Course unit: History of Political development in the region of Central Europe (from 1918 to the present)

Nr. of credits: 5

Course type: Seminar (Practice), Nr. in the semester: 60

Commitment: term mark

Place of course in the curriculum: 4th semester

Preliminary study terms:

Course description:

This course aims to make overview of the main issues which have determined political and historical development of the region of Central Europe after the dissolution (after the fall) of the Habsburg monarchy (1918-1945); political tendencies during the communist period (1948-1989) and course will end with overview of political development in Central Europe after the fall of communist system (democratization, democratic transition, economic system). The aim of the course is to analyze the different political concepts of the Central Europe and to highlight the specifics of regional development in the past and present. Therefore the aim of the course will be to overcome the one-track national approaches and to develop the comparative and cross-regional approach with the understanding of the position of the Visegrad countries. To understand Central European developments since 1989 it is necessary to get acquainted with the main turning points of modern political and social history of the respective countries of Central European geopolitical space on one hand and to undertake some comparative research into similarities and differences of such developments on the other hand. Continuous attention will be dedicated to political elections in Central European countries (with emphasis on countries such as Czech Republic and Slovak Republic). Main topics: Introduction of the region and political development of Central Europe after the fall of the Habsburg Monarchy (foreign and billateral policy, minorities); Transition to Democracy and problems with Democratic Consolidation; National minorities and minority legislation in the Visegrad countries; Central Europe in the Czech, Slovak and Hungarian foreign policy (common and individual interests); Visegrad group (constitution, development, interpretation)

3–5 most important obligatory and recommended literature (books, textbooks) with the bibliographical data:

Obligatory:

Kavaliauskas, T.: Transformations in Central Europe between 1989 – 2012. Lanham, Rowman and Littlefield.

Course director: Dr. Robert Pejša, PhD

Participating teacher: