Who are the Europeans and how did they create the European Union, a unique partnership of 27 states and an ever more important international actor? This course covers the main political, social and economic developments in Europe since the middle of the 20th century until the present day. We will study promises and achievements of European integration, including peace, democracy, economic prosperity and protection of human rights. Gender, migration and environment will be important cross-cutting themes. Our journey will start in 1945, when the post-WW2 destruction recasted debates about independence and interdependence of states and people. We will discuss how East and West Europeans, separated until 1989 by an almost impermeable Iron Curtain, created supranational institutions, of which those that emerged in the West proved more viable. The 1989 opened a new chapter in European politics. Demise of authoritarian structures in the East paved way towards deeper integration with the West and brought fascinating debates about catching up, belonging (identity) and possible futures. Our journey will take us through post-socialist transformations all the way to the themes shaping the most recent decade, including presence of women in public life, environmental degradation and new questions opened by refugee crises. The course covers current events in European politics and EU’s role in the world and offers analytical lenses for thinking about them in historical perspective. Current affairs sections pay particular attention to gender, migration, climate change, as well as changing patterns of work and economic inequalities. Course reader consists of interdisciplinary literature in European Studies, including IR, Political Theory, Economics, History and Anthropology. After taking the course students should have an advanced understanding of key ideas and interests shaping European integration and the many ways in which Europeans and their neighbors negotiate their belonging and identity. Classes are interactive, students are expected to be familiar with required reading and encouraged to critically engaged with the studied material.
Last update: Skladanová Nikola, Mgr. (18.07.2025)
Who are the Europeans and how did they create the European Union, a unique partnership of 27 states and an ever more important international actor? This course covers the main political, social and economic developments in Europe since the middle of the 20th century until the present day. We will study promises and achievements of European integration, including peace, democracy, economic prosperity and protection of human rights. Gender, migration and environment will be important cross-cutting themes. Our journey will start in 1945, when the post-WW2 destruction recasted debates about independence and interdependence of states and people. We will discuss how East and West Europeans, separated until 1989 by an almost impermeable Iron Curtain, created supranational institutions, of which those that emerged in the West proved more viable. The 1989 opened a new chapter in European politics. Demise of authoritarian structures in the East paved way towards deeper integration with the West and brought fascinating debates about catching up, belonging (identity) and possible futures. Our journey will take us through post-socialist transformations all the way to the themes shaping the most recent decade, including presence of women in public life, environmental degradation and new questions opened by refugee crises. The course covers current events in European politics and EU’s role in the world and offers analytical lenses for thinking about them in historical perspective. Current affairs sections pay particular attention to gender, migration, climate change, as well as changing patterns of work and economic inequalities. Course reader consists of interdisciplinary literature in European Studies, including IR, Political Theory, Economics, History and Anthropology. After taking the course students should have an advanced understanding of key ideas and interests shaping European integration and the many ways in which Europeans and their neighbors negotiate their belonging and identity. Classes are interactive, students are expected to be familiar with required reading and encouraged to critically engaged with the studied material.
Last update: Skladanová Nikola, Mgr. (18.07.2025)
Syllabus
This is one of the courses of the AEP programme (previously UPCES - the Undergraduate Program in Central European Studies); the comprehensive information is available at:https://bakalar.fhs.cuni.cz/SHV-211.htmlorhttps://fhs.cuni.cz/FHSENG-1016.html. It is designed for US students participating in the programme while Czech and international students of the Faculty of Humanities are welcome to select single courses from the programme.
The AEP coordinators will inform enrolled students where to obtain the reading materials.
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Attendance is mandatory.Regular attendance is necessary in order to get credit and grade.
Courses are scheduled either twice (2x90 min.) or once (1x180 min.) a week in the CERGE-EI classrooms (Politických vězňů 7,Praha 1).
Exam Dates
Winter Semester: beginning of November (midterm exams); before the middle of December (final exams) according to the course syllabus
Summer Semester: end of March / the first half of April (midterm exams); the middle of May (final exams) according to the course syllabus
Last update: Skladanová Nikola, Mgr. (18.07.2025)
Registration requirements
The teaching period in the AEP courses begins on February 16, 2026, according to the schedule of the particular course.
Enroll in the SIS (registration in the SIS is required before attending the first class) & show up to the course within the first and/or second week (at least) of the AEP teaching period according to the schedule of the course.
Students can enrol in up to 2 AEP courses (YBAU coded ones) per semester in total.
Degree students can attend these courses from the second semester of their studies onwards.
For students enrolled at other CU Faculties, the AEP courses are available only if the course capacity allows (i.e. not all the places are used by FHS students); thus enrolment cannot be guaranteed in advance. Availability to be checked in the SIS when course registration opens.
Please note:
Organized in cooperation with a partner institution and programme, the capacity in this course might be low.
In order to allow other students to enroll, please do not forget to unregister from all the courses you decide not to take as soon as possible.
Please be aware that regular class attendance is mandatory.
