Area Studies: Theory and Methodology - JTM047

• Title: Area Studies: Theory and Methodology
• Czech title: Teritoriální studia: teorie a metodologie
• Guaranteed by: Department of Russian and East European Studies (23-KRVS)
• Faculty: Faculty of Social Sciences
• Actual: from 2025
• Semester: winter
• E-Credits: 6
• Examination process: winter s.:
• Hours per week, examination: winter s.:0/2, Ex [HT]
• Capacity: unknown / unknown (21)
• Min. number of students: unlimited
• 4EU+: no
• Virtual mobility / capacity: no
• State of the course: taught
• Language: English
• Teaching methods: full-time
• Note: course can be enrolled in outside the study plan; enabled for web enrollment; priority enrollment if the course is part of the study plan
• Guarantor: PhDr. Mgr. Kryštof Přemysl Kozák, Ph.D.
• Teacher(s): PhDr. Mgr. Kryštof Přemysl Kozák, Ph.D.
• Class: Courses for incoming students
• Is pre-requisite for: JTM079, JTM049

Annotation

English

The course introduces the discipline of Area Studies and focuses on theoretical as well as methodological approaches to the subject. The critical dichotomy between area specific knowledge and general theory will be highlighted. Practical implications of area studies research will be covered throughout the class as well.

The course is open only for students of master's degree programmes.

Last update: Hrubá Kateřina, Mgr. (28.01.2026)

Czech

Kurz seznamuje studenty s teritoriálnimi studii a zaměřuje se na teoretické i metodologické přístupy tohoto oboru. Bude zdůrazněna kritická dichotomie mezi specifickými znalostmi o určité oblasti a obecnou teorií. Během kurzu budou rovněž probírány praktické dopady výzkumu v rámci teritoriálních studií.

Kurz je určen pouze pro studenty magisterských programů.

Last update: Hrubá Kateřina, Mgr. (28.01.2026)

Aim of the course

The goal of the course is for the students to comprehend basic approaches in Area Studies including relevant theories and methodologies. The critical distinction between area studies approach and other social science disciplines shall be addressed. The students shall apply acquired knowledge to address current issues as well as to their own research projects related to specific regions or areas. Importance and relevance of area studies knowledge in 21st century will be addressed as well. 

Last update: Brázda Vojtěch, Bc. (29.09.2025)

Course completion requirements

Conditions for completing the course are detailed in the syllabus section. Grading is based on the Dean's Measure no. 20/2019: https://fsv.cuni.cz/deans-measure-no-20/2019 and is the same for all courses at the Faculty of Social Sciences. 

• 91% and more   => A
• 81-90%             => B
• 71-80%             => C
• 61-70%             => D
• 51-60%             => E
• 0-50%               => F

More in SMĚRNICE S_SO_002: Organizace zkouškových termínů, kontrol studia a užívání klasifikace A–F na FSV UK.

Last update: Brázda Vojtěch, Bc. (29.09.2025)

Literature

Literature for this course is located in the 'files' section above and can be downloaded by the student. Reading the weekly literature is mandatory and will make up part of the final exam. List of required readings is in the syllabus section. It is not permitted to share the downloaded materials outside class. 

Last update: Brázda Vojtěch, Bc. (29.09.2025)

Teaching methods

The course method is based on close readings of mandatory texts and subsequent class discussion of key ideas and concepts. Students are also required to have an in-class presentation relevant to the theme of the course.

Use of generative AI tools:

The use and citation of generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT or MS Copilot) in seminar papers and other coursework must comply with the decrees of the IMS Director No. 7/2023 and 9/2023.

Generative AI tools may be used unless explicitly prohibited by the instructor. However, they may not be used to generate substantial sections of the text or replace the student’s own intellectual contribution. The student remains fully responsible for any content generated with assistance of AI tools.

Presenting AI-generated content, whether verbatim, rephrased, or only slightly modified, as one's own work constitutes plagiarism.

Every submitted paper must include a transparent statement specifying which generative AI tools were used, in which stage of the work they were employed, and how they were used, or confirming that no generative AI tools were used. If this statement is missing or incomplete, the instructor is not permitted to accept the paper for evaluation.

Unless the instructor explicitly prohibits the use of generative AI tools, the decision to use or not to use them rests fully with the student. The student has the right to request that the instructor does not use AI assistance for evaluating their work.

Last update: Lochmanová Sára, Mgr. (07.10.2025)

Requirements to the exam

Each student shall have a 10 minute presentation (20% of the grade), write a paper based on the presentation or the topic of the class (30% of the grade, minimum 12 600 characters with spaces) and shall complete the final exam (50% of the grade). The exam shall cover the mandatory readings and lectures from the classes. 

 Please fill in this google sheet with your name and presentation/paper topic before week 8: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15kuQW-BlEqlWZx_fE0z_AYgkRGA0hLsZm0syknXpXlY/edit?usp=sharing

Research paper guidelines

 

1. The topic should be tied to a specific geographic location. Relevant background information connecting knowledge from course classes should lead to a theoretically grounded research question. This question shall be answered using proper methods of inquiry.  If you want to write about other topic relevant for Area studies, contact the instructor.

2. Minimum length is 12 600 characters with spaces (approximately 7 pages double space), plus footnotes and bibliography of at least 10 titles (including relevant electronic sources).

3. The paper should present a well-developed thesis, supported by evidence from primary and secondary sources.

4. It should also demonstrate an understanding of the scholarship on the topic—that is, the paper itself must incorporate in the text and notes an adequate discussion of the scholarly works on the subject.

5. For footnotes and references, follow this easy-to-use guide based on Chicago Manual of Style, https://stuter.fsv.cuni.cz/index.php/stuter/about/submissions#authorGuidelines

6. Be sure to incorporate research from scholarly journals and books, not just accidental Google searches.

7. Helpful general guidelines for writing research papers are for example at: https://www.scribbr.com/category/research-paper

   Papers should be submitted to Turnitin, the class ID is 40605992 Enrollment key: abc123 (Due to some issues between CUNI and turnitin, please wait until Week 10 to try to enroll in the course on their platform)

   DUE DATE FOR FINAL PAPER: January 23rd, 2026, via Turnitin. 

   What you need to do in order to succeed:

 

• think critically about a topic and the sources necessary to study and limit that topic

• combine information and ideas into a focused, organized, supported argument

• write a grammatical, stylistic, mechanically correct essay

• document and list sources accurately and usefully

 

 Final Exam Guidelines

The final exam will be oral. Each student will be randomly assigned one of the general topics of each class. The student shall cover readings related to the topic and be prepared to discuss them. 

It is possible to take the oral exam also through Google Meet. 

Students need to sign up for the exam in the SIS system.

 

The grading shall be as follows:

• 91% and more   =>         A
• 81-90%             =>            B
• 71-80%             =>            C
• 61-70%             =>            D
• 51-60%             =>            E
• 0-50%                =>           F

For instance, an overall result of 50.5% corresponds to the grade E (after rounding up to the full percentage).

1. Basic interpretation of A-F grading scale:

• A – excellent (outstanding performance with only minor mistakes)
• B – very good (above average performance with some mistakes)
• C – good (overall good performance with a number of notable mistakes)
• D – satisfactory (acceptable performance with significant mistakes)
• E – sufficient (performance fulfils only minimum criteria)
• F – insufficient/failed (more effort needs to be made).

 

Based on the Dean's Measure 20/2019: https://fsv.cuni.cz/deans-measure-no-20/2019

Last update: Kozák Kryštof Přemysl, PhDr. Mgr., Ph.D. (08.12.2025)

Syllabus

Week 1— Course introduction, syllabus KK/ZL 29.9.2025

Preliminary ideas about Area studies - where are we coming from? What do we want to achieve?

 

Week 2 — What is Area Studies? 6.10.2025

Szanton, David L., The Politics of Knowledge: Area Studies and the Disciplines, University of California Press, 2004. Introduction.

 

Week 3 — Future of Area Studies 13.10.2025

Zoran Milutinović - The Rebirth of Area Studies. Challenges for History, I.B. Tauris, 2015

Read the Introduction by Milutinovic and one more chapter. Be prepared to report on the main theses of the additional chapter and how it relates to the future of area studies. 

Week 4 – Conducting Area Studies Research 20.10.2025

Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, Joseph M. Williams: The Craft of Research. University of Chicago Press, 2005. (Part I, pp. 1-15, 35-72)

David E. McNabb: Research Methods for Political Science, M.E.Sharpe, New York, 2004 (pp. 13-33, 67-78).

NO CLASS 27.10.25 - Dean´s Holiday

Week 5:   3.11.2025 Physical geography and Area Studies 

Ricardo Hausmann: Prisoners of Geography. Foreign Policy, January, 1999.

Daron Acemoglu, James Robinson: Why Nations Fail?, Profile Books, 2012., chapters 1, 2, 13, 14, 15.

Week 6 — 10.11.2025  American studies as area studies?

Jorge Castaneda: America Through Foreign Eyes, Oxford University Press, 2020. Chapters 1, 9, 10

 

November 17th - NO CLASS, state holiday

 

Week 7— Current issues through Area Studies: Poverty & Development  24.11.2025

A framework for understanding poverty -Benjamin Curtis and Serena Cosgrove (p.1-23)

https://api.taylorfrancis.com/content/books/mono/download?identifierName=doi&identifierValue=10.4324/9781003043829&type=googlepdf

 

The Slum - Al Jazzera Pick at least one episode to watch https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzGHKb8i9vTzzdepVrNsOATf9u44nfIXH

 

Week 8 — Identity and Area Studies KK 1.12.2025

Benedict Anderson: Fictional Communities, Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism, Verso, 1991, Introduction (pp.1-9)

Benedict Anderson: Fictional Communities, Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism, Verso, 1991, The Origins of National Consciousness (pp. 37-47)

Maria Todorova: Imagining the Balkans, Oxford University Press, 2009, Introduction. 

 

Week 9: Student presentations 1   8.12.2025

Report on the Impact of Climate Change on Migration - 2021 (Sections I & II)

Current Issues through Area Studies: Climate Change and Migration 

Week 10: Student presentations 2  15.12.2025

 

 

Please focus on how the author combines knowledge of several disciplines to make more general arguments about the U.S.

 

 

 

Last update: Kozák Kryštof Přemysl, PhDr. Mgr., Ph.D. (24.11.2025)