The aim of the course is to shed light on the key milestones of European history framed within their broader historical, cultural, and sociological context. The main attention will be focused on explaining the continuity of European historical development as well as on the interpretation of the significant historical events such as revolutions, wars, societal and cultural transformations, religious conflicts etc. throughout the European history. The lectures will be organized around key problems and topics (e.g., Enlightenment and its ideas, national identity and nationalism etc., see syllabus), which will be analysed and interpreted. The main attention will be focused on the process of transformation (social, cultural, religious, change in collective and national identities and others) in traditional, modern, and post-modern societies throughout the history.

Přednáškový cyklus je věnován vysvětlení základních etap a mezníků dějin v historicko-sociologické perspektivě. Cílem je předestřít základní faktografický přehled dějinných mezníků a jejich vlivu na další vývoj společnosti a vysvětlit kauzální dějinné souvislosti. Výklad bude založen konceptu vývoje a vzájemného ovlivňování civilizací s důrazem na euroatlantickou oblast. Výklad bude koncipován podle jednotlivých ústředních problémů (revoluce, odkaz antiky a osvícenství, transformace společnosti, migrace, nacionalismus apod.) jejichž význam a intepretace budou sledovány v dlouhém časovém úseku. Ve výkladu bude sledován transformační proces (společenský, kulturní, náboženský, proměna kolektivních a individuálních identit) směřující od tradiční k moderní a postmoderní společnosti. Stranou nezůstane ani stále rostoucí dohlížitelská role státu, hypertrofie práva i omezující společenské stereotypy a předsudky.

Structure:

lectures and discussions

Syllabus:

Lecture 1.

October 3^rd, Introduction

Lecture 2.

October 10^th, Antiquity and its modern heritage

Lecture 3.

October 17^th, Religion and its role: European history

Lecture 4.

October 24^th, Wars and conflicts

Lecture 5.

October 31, Ideology and its role

Lecture 6.

November 7^th, Enlightenment and its heritage

Lecture 7.

November 14^th, State and Law

Lecture 8.

November 21st, Migration

Lecture 9.

November 28^th, Nationalism

Lecture 10.

December 5^th, Society and its Transformation

Lecture 11.

December 12, Revolution

Lecture 12.

December 19th, presentations

Lecture 13.

January 2rd, 2024, presentations

Course Requirements:

Students are expected to take an active part in discussions during classes. Students have to attend classes regularly (one unexplained absence is tolerated).

Terms of passing the course: final essay or presentation (ppt, 15-20 min)

Deadline: Febrary 1^st, 2024

Students have to choose a topic related to one of the key milestones of European history (i.e. ideology, religion, war, state, revolution and so on). The final essay could be based on student's national history and related examples.

Final essay (2 000 – 2 200 words long) on a pre-agreed topic needs to contain exact references and to state all their sources (including e-sources). The essay has to contain a bibliography.

Clear, precise, and comprehensive citations and references are absolutely essential.

Student’s critical observations, experience and critical reflections are very welcomed.

However, all pre-agreed topics have to be confirmed by a teacher.

OR:

Students can prepare and deliver a ppt. presentation (20-25 min) on a pre-agreed topic during semester instead of a final essay. The number of slots for presentation is limited!

Evaluation Method:

Grades will be based on active participation in discussions (25%), and a final essay (or presentation) (75%).

Required reading:

Elias, N., The Civilizing Process: Sociogenetic and Psychogenetic Investigations, Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2000.
Dupré, L., K., The Enlightenment and the intellectual foundations of modern culture, New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005.
Geyer, M., Fitzpatrick, S. (eds.), Beyond totalitarianism: Stalinism and Nazism compared, New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009.
Hroch, M., European nations: explaining their formation, London, Brooklyn, NY: Verso, 2015.
Pánek, J. (eds.), A History of the Czech Lands, Prague: Carolinum Press, 2009.

Recommended reading:

Adorno, Th. W., Horkheimer, M., Dialectic of enlightenment, London: Verso, 1997.
Hroch, M., In the national interest: demands and goals of European national movements of the nineteenth century: a comparative perspective, Prague: Faculty of Arts, Charles University, 2000.
Le Goff, J., Time, work & culture in the Middle Ages, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1980.