JMMZ132 Germany and Austria and the Visegrad Countries

This course is focusing on German and Austrian policy towards Visegrad countries (Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia). The aim of the course is a comparison of the German and Austrian approach to the countries of the region and a definition of common characteristics and differences. The main focus is on the relations after 1989.

Requirements: Essay 15 pages and a test

Topics and reading:

1. Foreign policy identity of the CEE countries

Tulmets, E. (2014) „The ‘Return to Europe’: Redifining ECE Political Identities after 1989“ in Tulmets, E., East Central Europe Foreign Policy Identity in Perspective, Palgrave McMillan: 2014, p. 21-83 (focus on Polen, Czech Republic, Hungary)

Drulák, P. etc (2008) Außenpolitik in Ostmitteleuropa. Von Universalisten, Atlantiker, Europäisten und Souvärenisten. Osteuropa 7/2008, 139-152

2. Relations CEE with Germany

Sprüds, A. (2012) Friendship in the Making. Transforming Relations Between Germany and the Baltic-Visegrad Countries. Riga, LIIA (here chapters on Germany, Czech Republic, Polen, Hungary and Slovakia)

Poplawski, K (2016) The Role of Central Europe in the Geman Economy. The political Consequences. Warszawa, OSW.

Handl, V. - Paterson, W. E. (2013) The continuing relevance of Germany´s engine for Central Europe and the EU, Communist and Post-Communist Studies, 46 (3), 327-337

3. Relations with Austria

Luif, P. (2012) „Austria and Central Europe“, in Drulák, P. and Šabič, Z. (eds) Regional and International Relations of Central Europe (Houndsmills: Palgrave), 80-103

4. Optional topic: Central European Attitude to Russia-Ukraine crisis

Forbrig, J. (2015) Region Disunited? Central European Responses to the Russia-Ukraine Crisis. Washington, GMF.