East European Politics
Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne
Political Science Y340
Spring 2010
Professor James Toole Class Times: MW 3-4:15
Office: CM 215 Class Location: CM 210
Telephone: (260) 481-6885 Office Hours: MW 12:30-2:00
Email: toolej@ipfw.edu Webpage: http://users.ipfw.edu/toolej/
Course Description:
In the two decades since the end of communist rule in 1989, Eastern and Central Europe have changed dramatically. After more than four decades of communism, authoritarian regimes have given way to new democracies and controlled economies to the unpredictable competition of market economics. This course examines not only the challenges faced by postcommunist Europe in the past twenty years but also the communist history whose legacies still play an important role. While most course readings analyze the politics and history of Eastern and Central Europe, others relate some of the real-life difficulties faced by those who have lived their lives in this turbulent region of the world. This course is approved for General Education credit in Area VI (Inquiry and Analysis). It also counts toward completion of IPFW’s International Studies Certificate.
Course Objectives:
By the end of the semester, students who work hard in this class will be better able to: (1) understand the political, economic, and social dynamics that have shaped Eastern and Central Europe over the past century; (2) understand how different regimes and ideologies can affect people’s lives; (3) think critically and solve problems using knowledge and skills gained in this and previous courses; (4) apply the knowledge gained in the course across interdisciplinary boundaries; and (5) gather, evaluate, select, organize, and synthesize analytical material, particularly during the preparation and writing of the research paper.
Course Requirements:
Students will take two in-class examinations (one mid-term and one partly comprehensive final). They also will write one five-page paper based on the course readings and one fifteen-page research paper. The research paper topic must be approved by me, and a short description of it must be turned in by the date stated in the course schedule. Final grades will be determined as follows:
|
Five-page paper |
20% |
|
Mid-term exam |
24% |
|
Research Paper |
32% |
|
Final exam |
24% |
My evaluation of class attendance, participation, and performance may affect the final grade in very close cases. All assignments must be completed in order to receive a passing grade in the course.
Classes will feature both lectures and class discussions. Students should make every effort to participate in class discussions and to ask questions about things they do not understand. Examinations must be taken on the scheduled dates; make-up examinations will be permitted only at the discretion of the instructor and will be granted only in unusual circumstances. Late papers will be subject to significant penalties, to be described in written paper instructions to be handed out in class. Plagiarism will be considered a very serious offence and will be punished as severely as IPFW regulations allow. Students are encouraged to take advantage of free individual paper-writing consultations offered by the IPFW Writing Center. The center is located in Kettler G19.
Students should not expect to do well in the class unless they attend all scheduled classes. They are also expected to complete all listed readings before the start of each class, since failure to do so will greatly impair their ability to understand class lectures and to participate intelligently in class discussions.
The readings in the course come from two sources: books and library reserve. Many readings are from three books, which you are required to purchase. The books are available at the university bookstore.
Milosz, Czeslaw. The Captive Mind. New York: Vintage International, 1990.
Rothschild, Joseph and Nancy M. Wingfield. Return to Diversity: A Political History of
East Central Europe since World War II. 4th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press,
2008.
Stephen White, Judy Batt, and Paul G. Lewis, eds. Developments in Central and East
European Politics 4. Durham: Duke University Press, 2007.
Readings from library reserve are available electronically through the Helmke Library’s Reserves Express system. To access Reserves Express, visit the Library’s webpage (http://www.lib.ipfw.edu). Students will be held responsible for all assigned readings whether they come from purchased books or from Reserves Express. All readings on the syllabus are required.
If you have a disability and need assistance, special arrangements can be made to accommodate most needs. Contact the Director of Services for Students with Disabilities (Walb, room 113, telephone number 481-6658), as soon as possible to work out the details. Once the Director has provided you with a letter attesting to your needs for modification, bring the letter to me. For more information, please visit the web site for SSD at http://www.ipfw.edu/ssd/.
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Date |
Topic |
Readings |
|
1/11 |
Course Overview |
None |
|
1/13 |
The Interwar Period |
Rothschild and Wingfield, chs. 1-2 |
|
1/20 |
The New Postwar Order |
Rothschild and Wingfield, ch. 3; Karel Bartosek, “Central and Southeastern Europe” (RESERVE), pp. 394-398 only |
|
1/25 |
The Logic of Communism |
Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, Manifesto of the Communist Party (RESERVE), parts I, II, and IV only (skip “Socialist and Communist Literature”) |
|
1/27 |
Stalinism |
Rothschild and Wingfield, ch. 4; Karel Bartosek, “Central and Southeastern Europe” (RESERVE), pp. 398-437 only |
|
2/1 |
The Allure of Totalitarianism |
Milosz, preface and chs. 1-2 |
|
2/3 |
Surviving Stalinism |
Milosz, chs. 3 and 8 |
|
Monday February 8: Research paper topic due in class
|
||
|
2/8 |
National Communism |
Rothschild and Wingfield, ch. 5 |
|
2/10 |
Late Communism |
Rothschild and Wingfield, ch. 6; Karel Bartosek, “Central and Southeastern Europe” (RESERVE), pp. 437-450 only |
|
2/15 |
The Revolutions of 1989 |
Rothschild and Wingfield, ch. 7; Timothy Garton Ash, “Berlin: Wall’s End” (RESERVE) |
|
2/17 |
No class |
None |
|
2/22 |
Types of Nondemocratic Regimes |
Juan J. Linz and Alfred Stepan, “Modern Nondemocratic Regimes” (RESERVE) |
|
Wednesday February 24: Five-page paper due in class
|
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|
2/24 |
The Transition and Consolidation of Democratic Regimes |
Juan J. Linz and Alfred Stepan, “Toward Consolidated Democracy” (RESERVE) |
|
3/1 |
Economic Transition |
White, Batt, and Lewis, ch. 15 |
|
3/3 |
Social Transition
|
Slavenka Drakulic, Café Europa (excerpts) (RESERVE); John Higley, Judith Kullberg, and Jan Pakulski, “The Persistence of Postcommunist Elites” (RESERVE) |
|
3/15 |
Transition Successes: Central Europe |
White, Batt, and Lewis, ch. 3 |
|
3/17 |
Mid-Term Examination
|
None |
|
3/22 |
Transition Challenges: the Western Balkans |
White, Batt, and Lewis, ch. 5 |
|
3/24 |
Executive and Legislative Politics |
White, Batt, and Lewis, chs. 8 and 9 |
|
3/29 |
Electoral Politics |
White, Batt, and Lewis, ch. 10 |
|
3/31 |
Party Politics |
White, Batt, and Lewis, ch. 11 |
|
4/5 |
James Toole, “The Historical Foundations of Party Politics in Post-Communist East Central Europe” (RESERVE) |
|
|
4/7 |
Citizens and Politics |
White, Batt, and Lewis, chs. 12 and 13 |
|
4/12 |
Transitional Justice |
Timothy Garton Ash, “The Romeo File” (RESERVE) |
|
4/14 |
The Yugoslav Wars |
Misha Glenny, “Epilogue: The Balkan Vortex” (RESERVE) |
|
4/19 |
Origins of the War in Bosnia |
Steven L. Burg and Paul S. Shoup, “Conflict and Accommodation” (RESERVE) |
|
4/21 |
European Union Accession |
European Union, “Europe in 12 Lessons” (RESERVE), Lessons 1-7 only. |
|
4/26 |
White, Batt, and Lewis, ch. 7 |
|
|
Wednesday April 28: Research paper due in class
|
||
|
4/28 |
The Quality of Postcommunist Democracy |
White, Batt, and Lewis, ch. 16 |
|
Friday May 7 (1:00-3:00): FINAL EXAMINATION
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