Course: Transition to Democracy in Central Europe

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Course title Transition to Democracy in Central Europe
Course code KPO/PTDEU
Organizational form of instruction Seminar
Level of course Master
Year of study not specified
Semester Summer
Number of ECTS credits 4
Language of instruction English
Status of course Compulsory-optional
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Měšťánková Petra, Mgr. Ph.D.
  • Filipec Ondřej, Mgr. et Mgr. Ph.D.
Course content
Topics: 1. Communist Regimes (main features, types, development) 2. Crisis and Opposition in Communist Regimes (Hungarian Revolution, Prague Spring, Poland 1980-1981) 3. Types of Transition to Democracy 4. Building Democratic Institutions 5. The Break-up of Czechoslovakia 6. Transition from One-party to Multi-party System 7. Economic Transformation 8. Comparison of Accession Processes to the EU 9. Czech Republic and the EU after 2004 10. Slovak Republic and the EU after 2004 11. Poland and the EU after 2004 12. Hungary and the EU after 2004 13. Visegrad Cooperation and the EU 14. Democratic Back-sliding in Central Europe

Learning activities and teaching methods
Monologic Lecture(Interpretation, Training), Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming), Work with Text (with Book, Textbook)
  • Attendace - 24 hours per semester
  • Preparation for the Exam - 40 hours per semester
  • Homework for Teaching - 36 hours per semester
Learning outcomes
The course focuses on the transition to democracy and the democratic consolidation in Central Europe - in former Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Poland. Students will gain knowledge about the functioning of communist regimes, which are the basic starting point for studying transformation processes. Consequently, it focuses on the transition to democracy with the specifics of each country and the implications of the transition to democratic consolidation. Democratic consolidation addresses several issues - democratic institutions, party system transformation, transition from a centrally planned economy to a market economy and the influence of external actors, especially the EU. The relationship to the European Union and the Euroscepticism are discussed in more detail with an emphasis on the specifics of each country.
First competence will be the comprehension of profound changes, which occurred in these countries in their recent history. Second one will be the ability to understand and to analyse current problems of Central European politics. Third one will be the improvement of language competences as the course is based on interactive methods of teaching. At the end of the course the student should have overall overview of communism regimes, types of transition to democracy, building democratic institutions, economic transformation, international aspects of democratization, and the relationship of the Central European Countries to the EU.
Prerequisites
The completion of this course is not conditioned upon completion of any other courses.

Assessment methods and criteria
Student performance

Attendance, Class Activity (e.g. preparation of news from current Central European politics, reading and short presentations), Final Test
Recommended literature
  • Ágh, A. (2019). Declining Democracy in East-Central Europe. Edward Elgar.
  • Ágh, A. (1998). The Politics of Central Europe. London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi: SAGE Publications.
  • Měšťánková, P., Filipec, O. (2019). Transition to Democracy in Central Europe. Olomouc.
  • Rupnik, J. (1988). The Other Europe. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson.
  • White, Stephen, Batt, Judy and Paul G. Lewis. (2007). Developments in Central and East European politics 4. Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester
Faculty: Faculty of Law Study plan (Version): European Law and EU Policies (EPAPEU2022) Category: Law, legal and public administration proceeding - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: Summer