Poslední úprava: Mgr. Petra Alexandra Honová (01.02.2019)
The course focuses on the political features of Central Europe. It introduces students to the concept of CE as a historically and culturally distinctive region (covering Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic) but also encourages critical thinking on whether the changeable concept of Central Europe stays relevant. The course aims to demonstrate the explanatory capacity of the main concepts of contemporary political sociology, looking at specific cases and current issues from the region. It covers a wide range of topics: civil society (NGOs, think tanks), public sphere and political claims-making, political culture, participation and trust, Europeanization and Euroscepticism, populism, nationalism, and migration.
Cíl předmětu - angličtina
Poslední úprava: Mgr. Petra Alexandra Honová (01.02.2019)
The main objective of the course is to (1) make students familiar with the basic concepts of political sociology, (2) encourage them to take interest in the region of Central Europe but also (3) make them capable of making their own standpoints and critical reflections of the local affairs. The course consists of both lectures and seminars, combining frontal and interactive forms of learning. The reading list is designed to include a selection of both the classical and the most recent texts on CE.
Deskriptory - angličtina
Poslední úprava: Mgr. Petra Alexandra Honová (03.02.2019)
Course credits: 6 ECTS
Type of Completion: Zk (based on the completion of all requirements and assessment methods)
Timetable: Thursday, 11:00–12:20, from 21 February to 16 May 2019
Poslední úprava: Mgr. Petra Alexandra Honová (03.02.2019)
Literature
The list of literature consists of the required readings (accessible via Moodle). The further readings in the syllabus are only for those with a special interest in the topic (and can be used as sources for the final essays).
Required readings
Devaux, S. (2009) “Involvement of the Czech Environmental Movements in the European Game.” Pp. 73–87 in Marty, P., S. Devaux. (eds.) Social Movements and Public Action: Lessons from Environmental Issues. Prague: CEFRES.
Howard, M. M. (2002). “The Weakness of Postcommunist Civil Society.” Journal of Democracy 13 (1): 157–169.
Koopmans, R. (2007).”Who inhabits the European public sphere? Winners and losers, supporters and opponents in Europeanised political debates.” European Journal of Political Research 46 (2): 183–210.
Kundera, M. (1984). “The Tragedy of Central Europe.” New York Review of Books 31 (7), Apr 26: 33–38.
Poslední úprava: Mgr. Markéta Klásková (19.02.2019)
Active participation in the seminars and lectures (two absences are allowed)
Completing homework on Moodle.
Completing two short tests (midterm and final) via Moodle.
Writing an essay with a minimum of 2 000 words, containing at least 5 academic resources (e.g. those listed in the further readings). Topics will be discussed during the semester (essays can have a form of a case study, or a comparison of two countries). Submission via Moodle by 17 June 2019.
Sylabus - angličtina
Poslední úprava: Mgr. Markéta Klásková (28.03.2019)
1. Course introduction (21 February)
topics and requirements to the exam
introducing the concept of Central Europe
2. Catching up with the West (28 February)
democratic transition (1989) and post-communism
European Union accession (2004) and the Europeanization process
Required readings:
Kundera, M. (1984). “The Tragedy of Central Europe.” New York Review of Books 31 (7), Apr 26: 33–38.
Background readings:
Ekiert, G. (2015). “Three Generations of Research on Post Communist Politics: A Sketch.” East European Politics and Societies 29 (2): 323–337.
Gellner, E. 1997. "The Marriage of State and Culture." Pp. 50–58 in Gellner, E. Nationalism. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson.
Kopecký, P., & Mudde, C. (2000). “What has Eastern Europe taught us about the democratisation literature (and vice versa)?” European Journal of Political Research 37 (4): 517–539.
Rupnik, J. (2010). “Central Europe or Mitteleuropa?” Daedalus 119 (1): 249–278.
Sztompka, P. (1996). “Looking Back The Year 1989 as a Cultural and Civilizational Break.” Communist and Post-Communist Studies 29 (2): 115 - 129.
Tismaneanu, V. (2009). “The Revolutions of 1989: Causes, Meanings, Consequences.” Contemporary European History 18 (3): 271–288
Blokker, Paul. (2005). "Post-Communist Modernization, Transition Studies, and Diversity in Europe." European Journal of Social Theory 8 (4): 503–525
Kopeček, Michal. (2002). "Politics, Antipolitics, and Czechs in Central Europe: The Idea of “Visegrád Cooperation” and Its Reflection in Czech Politics in the 1990s." In Questionable Returns, ed. A. Bove, Vienna: IWM Junior Visiting Fellows Conferences, Vol. 12.
3. Political Culture of CE (7 March)
main political features of the democracies within the CE region
patterns of participation and trust
Required readings:
Howard, M. M. (2002). “The Weakness of Postcommunist Civil Society.” Journal of Democracy 13 (1): 157–169.
Background readings:
Blokker, P. (2008). “Multiple Democracies: Political Cultures and Democratic Variety in Post-enlargement Europe.” Contemporary Politics 14 (2): 161–178.
Guasti, P. (2016). “Development of citizen participation in Central and Eastern Europe after the EU enlargement and economic crises.” Communist and Post-Communist Studies 49 (3): 219–231.
Letki, N. (2004). “Socialization for Participation? Trust, Membership, and Democratization in East-Central Europe.” Political Research Quarterly 57 (4): 665–679.
Rose-Ackerman, S. (2007). “From Elections to Democracy in Central Europe: Public Participation and the Role of Civil Society.” East European Politics and Societies 21 (1): 31–47.
Zakaria, P. (2013). ”Is Corruption an Enemy of Civil Society? The Case of Central and Eastern Europe.” International Political Science Review 34 (4): 351–371.
4. Building a Civil Society (14 March)
associational sphere under communist regime
challenges of post-communist civil society, foreign funding
the case of environmental NGOs in the pre-accession period
Required reading:
Devaux, S. (2009) “Involvement of the Czech Environmental Movements in the European Game.” Pp. 73–87 in Marty, P., S. Devaux. (eds.) Social Movements and Public Action: Lessons from Environmental Issues. Prague: CEFRES.
Background readings:
Börzel, T. A., A. Buzogány. (2010). “Governing EU Accession in Transition Countries: The Role of Non-state Actors.” Acta Politica 45(1–2): 158–182.
Císař, O., & Navrátil, J. (2015). "Promoting competition or cooperation? The impact of EU funding on Czech advocacy organizations". Democratization 22 (3): 536–559.
Diamond, L. (1994). "Toward Democratic Consolidation." Journal of Democracy 5 (3): 4 - 17.
Ekiert, G., J. Kubik. (2014). “The Legacies of 1989: Myths and Realities of Civil Society.” Journal of Democracy 25 (1): 46–58.
Fagan, A. (2005). "Taking stock of civil-society development in post-communist Europe Evidence from the Czech Republic." Democratization 12 (4): 528-547.
Kuti, É. (1999). "Different Eastern European Countries at Different Crossroads." Voluntas 10 (1): 51–60.
Mansfeldová, Z., Nałęcz, S., Priller, E., & Zimmer, A. (2013). "Civil Society in Transition: Civic Engagement and Nonprofit Organizations in Central and Eastern Europe after 1989." In A. Zimmer & E. Priller (Eds.), Future of Civil Society: making Central European nonprofit-organizations work (pp. 99–119).
Skovajsa, M. (2008). "Independent and Broader Civil Society in East-Central European Democratizations." Taiwan Journal of Democracy4(2): 47–73.
5. NGOs and Activism (21 March)
current trends in the civic sector: professionalization of NGOs vs. informal activism, networking, anti-Soros sentiments
Císař, O., J. Navrátil. (2015). “Promoting Competition or Cooperation? The Impact of EU Funding on Czech Advocacy Organizations.” Democratization 22 (3): 1–40.
Jezierska, K. (2018). Performing Independence: The Apolitical Image of Polish Think Tanks.” Europe - Asia Studies 70 (3): 345–364.
Petrova, T., S. Tarrow. (2007). “Transactional and Participatory Activism in the Emerging European Polity: The Puzzle of East-Central Europe.” Comparative Political Studies 40 (1): 74–94.
Toepler, S., L. M. Salamon. (2003). “NGO Development in Central and Eastern Europe: An Empirical Overview.” East European Quarterly 37 (3): 365–378.
6. Democracy in the EU and the Public Sphere (28 March)
democratic deficits of the EU
Europeanization of national public spheres
mass mediated political communication
the method of political claims analysis
Required reading:
Koopmans, R. (2007).”Who inhabits the European public sphere? Winners and losers, supporters and opponents in Europeanised political debates.” European Journal of Political Research 46 (2): 183–207.
Further readings:
Batorski, D., & Grzywińska, I. (2018). Three dimensions of the public sphere on Facebook Three dimensions of the public sphere on Facebook. Information, Communication & Society, 21(3), 356–374.
Dahlgren, P. (2005). The Internet, Public Spheres, and Political Communication: Dispersion and Deliberation. Political Communication, 22(2), 147–162.
Fraser, N. (1990). Rethinking the Public Sphere: A Contribution to the Critique of Actually Existing Democracy. Social Text, 26(25/26), 56–80.
Fraser, N. (2007). Transnationalizing the Public Sphere: On the Legitimacy and Efficacy of Public Opinion in a Post-Westphalian World. Theory, Culture & Society 24 (4): 7–24.
Habermas, J. (2006). Political Communication in Media Society: Does Democracy Still Enjoy an Epistemic Dimension? The Impact of Normative Theory on Empirical Research. Communication Theory, 16(4), 411–426.
Risse, T., M. Van De Steeg (2003). “An Emerging European Public Sphere ? Empirical Evidence and Theoretical Clarifications.” Paper presented to the conference on the Europeanisation of Public Spheres, Political Mobilisation, Public Communication and the European Union, Science Center Berlin, June 20-22. 2003.
Scheufele, D. a., & Tewksbury, D. (2007). Framing, Agenda Setting, and Priming: The Evolution of Three Media Effects Models. Journal of Communication, 57(1), 9–20. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2006.00326.x
7. Reading week and midterm test (4 April)
Lecture-free week for catching up with literature and completing the midterm test (via Moodle).
8. Nationalism and Democratic Backsliding (11 April)
typologies of nationalism (civic, ethnic, inclusive, exclusive, banal, religious)
Eastern vs. Western nationalism
the illiberal turn in Central Europe, democratic backsliding
Background readings:
Bustikova, L., P. Guasti. (2017). “The Illiberal Turn or Swerve in Central Europe?“ Politics and Governance 5 (4): 166–176.
Cianetti, L., J. Dawson, S. Hanley. (2018). ”Rethinking “democratic backsliding” in Central and Eastern Europe–looking beyond Hungary and Poland.” East European Politics 34(3): 243–256.
Deegan-Krause, K. (2004). “Uniting the Enemy: Politics and the Convergence of Nationalisms in Slovakia.” East European Politics and Societies 18 (4): 651–696.
Hanley, S., M. A. Vachudova. (2018). ”Understanding the illiberal turn: democratic backsliding in the Czech Republic.” East European Politics 34 (3): 276–296.
Shulman, S. (2002). ”Challenging the Civic/Ethnic and West/East Dichotomies in the Study of Nationalism.” Comparative Political Studies 35 (5): 554–585.
Vašečka, M. (2008). “Nationalized Citizenship in Central European Countries.” Pp. 199–215in Vašečka, M., R. Klvaňová, L. Galčanová (eds.). Nation Über Alles. Bratislava: Center for the Research of Ethnicity and Culture.
9. Deans’ holiday (Easter, 18 April)
Happy Easter!
10. National Memorial (25 April)
Excursion to the Czech National Memorial on the Vítkov hill.
11. Politicization of Europe in Time of Crisis (2 May)
Euroscepticism and Eurocriticism in Central Europe
politicization of Europe
the recent case of the “Refugee crisis” / “Schengen crisis”
Background readings:
Börzel, T. A. (2016). “From EU Governance of Crisis to Crisis of EU Governance: Regulatory Failure, Redistributive Conflict and Eurosceptic Publics.“ Journal of Common Market Studies 54 (May): 8–31.
Börzel, T. A., T. Risse. (2018). “From the euro to the Schengen crises: European integration theories, politicization, and identity politics.“ Journal of European Public Policy 25 (1): 83–108.
Jasiewicz, J. (2013). “Seizing on European Institutions? Ethnic Minority Actors’ Strategies in the Polish Public Sphere.” East European Politics & Societies 27 (3): 493–509.
Kriesi, H. (2016). “The Politicization of European Integration.“ Journal of Common Market Studies 54: 32–47.
Krzyżanowski, M. (2018). “Discursive Shifts in Ethno-Nationalist Politics: On Politicization and Mediatization of the ‘Refugee Crisis’ in Poland.“ Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies 16(1–2): 76–96.
de Wilde, P., H.-J. Trenz. (2012). “Denouncing European integration: Euroscepticism as polity contestation. European Journal of Social Theory 15 (4): 537–554.
12. Populism (9 May)
forms and types of populism
Hungarian Case (Orbán)
Background readings:
Benczes, I. (2016). “From Goulash Communism to Goulash Populism: The Unwanted Legacy of Hungarian Reform Socialism.” Post-Communist Economies 28 (2): 146–166.
Brubaker, R. (2017). “Between nationalism and civilizationism: the European populist moment in comparative perspective.” Ethnic and Racial Studies 40 (8): 1191–1226.
Gidron, N., B. Bonikowski. 2013. “Varieties of Populism: Literature Review and Research Agenda.” Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University, Working Paper Series, No. 4.
Moffitt, B., S. Tormey. 2014. “Rethinking Populism: Politics, Mediatisation and Political Style.” Political Studies 62 (2): 381–397.
Palonen, E. (2009). “Political Polarisation and Populism in Contemporary Hungary.“ Parliamentary Affairs 62 (2): 318–334.
Shields, S. (2012). Opposing Neoliberalism? Poland’s renewed populism and post-communist transition. Third World Quarterly 33 (2): 359–381.
13. Gender and Feminism (16 May)
feminism in CE
the case of the Black Protest
anti-gender movement
Background readings:
Grzebalska, W., A. Pető. (2017). “The gendered modus operandi of the illiberal transformation in Hungary and Poland.” Women's Studies International Forum 68: 164–172.
Korolczuk, E. (2016). “Explaining mass protests against abortion ban in Poland: the power of connective action.” Zoon Politikon Journal 7: 91–113.
Korolczuk, E., A. Graff. (2018). “Gender as ‘Ebola from Brussels’: The Anticolonial Frame and the Rise of Illiberal Populism.” Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society 43 (4): 797–821.
Marx Feree, M., C. McClurg Mueller. (2008) “Feminism and the Women’s Movement: A Global Perspective.” Pp. 576–607in Snow, D. A., S. A. Soule, H. Kriesi (eds) The Blackwell Companion to Social Movements. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.
Sloat, A. (2005). “The Rebirth of Civil Society: The Growth of Women’s NGOs in Central and Eastern Europe.” European Journal of Women’s Studies 12(4): 437–452.
