Communism and Post-Communism in the Czech Republic

APOV30276E

APOV30276

Summer term 2019/20
Lecturer: Dr. Martin Štefek (martin.stefek@ff.cuni.cz)

This seminar is intended as an introduction into Czech contemporary history and politics for international students. It provides both theoretical and empirical account of Communism and Post-Communism in the Central Europe. The programme of the class may overlap with Czech Political History III (Česká politická historie III) and Political System of the Czech Republic (Politický system ČR).

UPDATE: Written examination will be carried out via email. Students enrolled for a term will receive emeil with instruction. Seminar paper has to be submitted by 14th May 2020.

Assessments:
- Seminar paper (3000–4000 words including footnotes) = 50 % of the final grade
Deadline for submission: 14th May 2020 (there is no exception). Subject must be consulted with the lecturer beforehand. The paper includes references and bibliography. Academic sources are expected; Wikipedia and non-academic articles are not acceptable.

- A one hour written examination (an essay based on essential reading) = 50 % of the final grade

(You need to get at least 60 % overall)

Tentative schedule (subject to change):

21^st Feb 2020 – Introduction

28^th Feb 2020 – Historical roots of Czechoslovak Communism

6^th Mar 2020 – Post-WWII democracy and the 1948 coup

13^th Mar 2020 – Stalinism in Czechoslovakia

20^th Mar 2020 – Models reconsidered: totalitarianism and pluralism

27^th Mar 2020 – Prague Spring

3^rd Apr 2020 – The Fall of Communism

10^th Apr 2020 –Bank Holiday

17^th Apr 2020 – Transition to democracy; political culture

24^th Apr 2020 – Democratic consolidation; party system

1^st May 2020 – Bank Holiday

8^th May 2020 – Bank Holiday

15^th May 2020 – Written examination (first date)

Essential reading:

Articles assigned weekly from the 27th March 2020

BROWN, Archie: Pluralistic Trends in Czechoslovakia. In: Soviet Studies, vol. 17, no. 4 (1966), pp. 453–472.

BROWN, Archie: The Rise and Fall of Communism. London: Vintage 2010. [pp. 148–178; 368–397; 522–548]

LINZ, Juan J. – STEPAN, Alfred: Problems of Democratic Consolidation: Southern Europe, South America, and post-communist Europe. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press 1996. [pp. 316–333]

ULC, Otto: Czechoslovakia. In: RAKOWSKA-HARMSTONE, Teresa: Communism in Eastern Europe. Manchester University Press 1984, pp. 115–136.