Central European Society and Culture

1Grade

2.00Credits

semester not specified

Gergely Kiss-Csapo

ENGLISH

プレゼンテーションは常に英語で行われる。

Togane Campus

Course Description:
This course examines the culture and society of Central Europe, a region known for its diverse blend of cultures and histories. Through the study of literature, art, history, politics, and sociology, students will explore the complexities of Central European societies, gaining insight into their unique identity and contemporary challenges.

Course Objectives:
Understand the historical, cultural, and social dynamics of Central Europe. Analyse key cultural movements, literature, and art from the region. Examine the impact of political changes, wars, and revolutions on Central European societies. Explore Central Europe's role in shaping broader European and global narratives. Critically evaluate contemporary issues and challenges in Central European societies.

Learning outcomes:

Understand the diverse cultural heritage, traditions, and values of Central European societies.
Appreciate how historical events and movements have shaped Central European culture.
Art: Analyse and appreciate Central European literature, recognizing its themes, styles, and global influence. Explore Central European visual arts and architecture, understanding their impact on global artistic trends.
Examine how collective memory and historical narratives shape identities in Central Europe.
Understand the current socio-political landscape of Central Europe, including EU integration and challenges to democracy.
Apply critical thinking skills to analyze cultural phenomena and societal issues in Central Europe.
Improve communication through discussions, presentations, and written assignments on Central European culture and society.

Lecture 1: Defining Central Europe: Geographical, Historical, and Cultural Perspectives.

Introduction to Central Europe:
This lecture introduces the concept of Central Europe, exploring its geographical, historical, and cultural dimensions. Central Europe is a region rich in diversity, shaped by its complex history and vibrant cultural heritage.

Recommended Readings:
Snyder, Timothy. The Reconstruction of Nations: Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Belarus, 1569–1999. Yale University Press, 2003.
Kundera, Milan. The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Harper & Row, 1984.

Preview (online work): preliminary materials uploaded for students: PowerPoint, topography (learning), text (reading), music link (listening).
Before each session, you will be given some content to work with a short text, a film clip, and a document.

Summary (online work): topography (practice), PowerPoint and own notes (learning), text (learning), video link (watching and understanding). At the beginning and end of each session, you can expect online quizzes.

Lecture 2: Historical Overview: From the Medieval Period to the Modern Era

This lecture offers a historical overview of Central Europe, from medieval times to the modern era. Central Europe has been a melting pot of civilizations, witnessing the rise and fall of empires, the birth of nation-states, and the upheavals of wars and revolutions. By examining these historical moments, we aim to unravel the complex socio-political landscape that defines the region.

Recommended Reading:
Sked, Alan. The Decline and Fall of the Habsburg Empire, 1815-1918. Routledge, 2001.

Preview (online work): preliminary materials uploaded for students: PowerPoint, topography (learning), text (reading), music link (listening).
Before each session, you will be given some content to work with a short text, a film clip, and a document.

Summary (online work): topography (practice), PowerPoint and own notes (learning), text (learning), video link (watching and understanding). At the beginning and end of each session, you can expect online quizzes.

Lecture 3: Habsburg Empire: Multinationalism and Nationalism / Imperial Legacy and National Movements

This lecture is about the intricate socio-political dynamics of the Habsburg Empire, focusing on its governance system characterized by multinationalism and the growing challenges of nationalism.

Recommended Readings:
Judson, Pieter M. The Habsburg Empire: A New History. Harvard University Press, 2016.

Preview (online work): preliminary materials uploaded for students: PowerPoint, topography (learning), text (reading), music link (listening).
Before each session, you will be given some content to work with a short text, a film clip, and a document.

Summary (online work): topography (practice), PowerPoint and own notes (learning), text (learning), video link (watching and understanding). At the beginning and end of each session, you can expect online quizzes.

Lecture 4: Rise of National Movements: Czech, Polish, Hungarian, and Slovak Nationalism

This lecture is about the emergence and progression of national movements in Central Europe, with a focus on Czech, Polish, Hungarian, and Slovak nationalism. As multinational entities like the Habsburg Empire faced challenges from rising nationalist sentiments, various ethnic groups within Central Europe aimed to assert their unique cultural, linguistic, and political identities.

Recommended Reading:
Wandycz, Piotr Stefan. The Price of Freedom: A History of East Central Europe from the Middle Ages to the Present. Routledge, 2001.

Preview (online work): preliminary materials uploaded for students: PowerPoint, topography (learning), text (reading), music link (listening).
Before each session, you will be given some content to work with a short text, a film clip, and a document.

Summary (online work): topography (practice), PowerPoint and own notes (learning), text (learning), video link (watching and understanding). At the beginning and end of each session, you can expect online quizzes.

The Interwar Period and World War II
Lecture 5: Interwar Politics and Culture: Weimar Germany, Austria, and the Successor States

Following World War I, the collapse of empires and the rise of new nation-states brought forth economic instability, social unrest, and political extremism. By examining the intricate relationship between politics and culture during this era, we aim to understand the challenges and transformations that shaped Central Europe between the wars.

Preview (online work): preliminary materials uploaded for students: PowerPoint, topography (learning), text (reading), music link (listening).
Before each session, you will be given some content to work with a short text, a film clip, and a document.

Summary (online work): topography (practice), PowerPoint and own notes (learning), text (learning), video link (watching and understanding). At the beginning and end of each session, you can expect online quizzes.

Lecture 6: World War II and Its Aftermath: Occupation, Resistance, and Memory

This lecture explores the tumultuous period of World War II and its aftermath in Central Europe, shedding light on occupation, resistance movements, and the lasting impacts of war memory. The war deeply affected the region, leading to occupation, collaboration, and resistance, alongside immense human suffering.

Recommended Reading:
Snyder, Timothy. Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin. Basic Books, 2010.

Preview (online work): preliminary materials uploaded for students: PowerPoint, topography (learning), text (reading), music link (listening).
Before each session, you will be given some content to work with a short text, a film clip, and a document.

Summary (online work): topography (practice), PowerPoint and own notes (learning), text (learning), video link (watching and understanding). At the beginning and end of each session, you can expect online quizzes.

Communist Era and Dissent
Lecture 7: Eastern Bloc: Soviet Influence and Communist Rule

The post-war era witnessed the spread of Soviet dominance, resulting in the formation of communist governments and totalitarian regimes. By looking at Soviet control mechanisms, communist rule dynamics, and local responses, we aim to discover the complexities of the Eastern Bloc and its historical impact.

Recommended Reading:
Applebaum, Anne. Iron Curtain: The Crushing of Eastern Europe, 1944-1956. Doubleday, 2012.

Preview (online work): preliminary materials uploaded for students: PowerPoint, topography (learning), text (reading), music link (listening).
Before each session, you will be given some content to work with a short text, a film clip, and a document.

Summary (online work): topography (practice), PowerPoint and own notes (learning), text (learning), video link (watching and understanding). At the beginning and end of each session, you can expect online quizzes.

Lecture 8: Dissent and Resistance: Prague Spring, Solidarity, and the Velvet Revolution

The Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia, the Solidarity movement in Poland, and the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia. The Solidarity movement and the Velvet revolution marked crucial moments of opposition to authoritarian regimes, advocating for political reform, civil liberties, and democratic change. We will examine their causes, dynamics, and outcomes.

Recommended Reading:
Ash, Timothy Garton. The Magic Lantern: The Revolution of '89 Witnessed in Warsaw, Budapest, Berlin, and Prague. Vintage, 1999.

Preview (online work): preliminary materials uploaded for students: PowerPoint, topography (learning), text (reading), music link (listening).
Before each session, you will be given some content to work with a short text, a film clip, and a document.

Summary (online work): topography (practice), PowerPoint and own notes (learning), text (learning), video link (watching and understanding). At the beginning and end of each session, you can expect online quizzes.

Literature and Art of Central Europe
Lecture 9: Literary Movements and Authors: Kafka, Havel, Kundera, and Others

Central European literature deals with deep questions about life, political changes, and the complexities of modern society. When we study the themes, styles, and works of these writers, we get a better understanding of Central European culture and how it has influenced literature worldwide.

Recommended Readings:
Kundera, Milan. The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Harper & Row, 1984.
Sándor Márai Embers (Hungarian: A gyertyák csonkig égnek)
György Faludy My Happy Days in Hell (Hungarian: Pokolbéli víg napjaim),

Preview (online work): preliminary materials uploaded for students: PowerPoint, topography (learning), text (reading), music link (listening).
Before each session, you will be given some content to work with a short text, a film clip, and a document.

Summary (online work): topography (practice), PowerPoint and own notes (learning), text (learning), video link (watching and understanding). At the beginning and end of each session, you can expect online quizzes.

Lecture 10: Visual Arts and Architecture: Secessionism, Bauhaus, and Avant-Garde

This lecture explores creative art and architecture movements in Central Europe during the late 19th and early 20th centuries: Secessionism, Bauhaus, and Avant-Garde. These movements broke traditional artistic norms, embracing new forms, materials, and ideas to express modernity.

Preview (online work): preliminary materials uploaded for students: PowerPoint, topography (learning), text (reading), music link (listening).
Before each session, you will be given some content to work with a short text, a film clip, and a document.

Summary (online work): topography (practice), PowerPoint and own notes (learning), text (learning), video link (watching and understanding). At the beginning and end of each session, you can expect online quizzes.

Identity, Memory, and Representation
Lecture 11: Collective Memory and Identity Politics in Central Europe

This lecture explores how collective memory shapes identity politics in Central Europe, considering the region's diverse history and contemporary dynamics. We examine how historical events are remembered, contested, and commemorated, impacting individual and group identities, political discourse, and interethnic relations.

Recommended Reading:
Judt, Tony. Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945. Penguin Books, 2006.

Preview (online work): preliminary materials uploaded for students: PowerPoint, topography (learning), text (reading), music link (listening).
Before each session, you will be given some content to work with a short text, a film clip, and a document.

Summary (online work): topography (practice), PowerPoint and own notes (learning), text (learning), video link (watching and understanding). At the beginning and end of each session, you can expect online quizzes.

Lecture 12: Film and Media: Representations of Central European Societies

This lecture explores how film and media have depicted and influenced perceptions of Central European societies, cultures, and histories. From early silent films to modern digital media, Central Europe has been a rich source of inspiration for filmmakers, showcasing diverse landscapes and cultural traditions.

Recommended Reading:
Dorota Ostrowska (editor), Francesco Pitassio (editor), Zsuzsanna Varga (editor): Popular Cinemas in East Central Europe: Film Cultures and Histories I.B. Tauris 2017.

Preview (online work): preliminary materials uploaded for students: PowerPoint, topography (learning), text (reading), music link (listening).
Before each session, you will be given some content to work with a short text, a film clip, and a document.

Summary (online work): topography (practice), PowerPoint and own notes (learning), text (learning), video link (watching and understanding). At the beginning and end of each session, you can expect online quizzes.

Transition and EU Integration
Lecture 13: Post-Communist Transition: Challenges and Transformations

This lecture looks at the changes that occurred in Central Europe after the fall of communist regimes in 1989. We'll explore how the region transitioned politically, economically, socially, and culturally, from authoritarianism to democracy, from planned economies to market capitalism, and from state-controlled media to independent journalism.

Recommended Reading:
Petr Kopecký, Adam Fagan: The Routledge Handbook of East European Politics Routledge 2017

Preview (online work): preliminary materials uploaded for students: PowerPoint, topography (learning), text (reading), music link (listening).
Before each session, you will be given some content to work with a short text, a film clip, and a document.

Summary (online work): topography (practice), PowerPoint and own notes (learning), text (learning), video link (watching and understanding). At the beginning and end of each session, you can expect online quizzes.

Lecture 14: Central Europe in the European Union: Integration, Opportunities, and Tensions

This lecture explores the relationship between Central Europe and the European Union (EU), focusing on the integration process, opportunities, and tensions. How have Central European countries changed  since joining the EU?  

Recommended Reading:
Fekete, Elizabeth: Europe's Fault Lines: Racism and the Rise of the Right Verso 2018

Preview (online work): preliminary materials uploaded for students: PowerPoint, topography (learning), text (reading), music link (listening).
Before each session, you will be given some content to work with a short text, a film clip, and a document.

Summary (online work): topography (practice), PowerPoint and own notes (learning), text (learning), video link (watching and understanding). At the beginning and end of each session, you can expect online quizzes.

Assessment:
• 20% - Class participation
• 30% - Topography and main terms quiz
• 50% - Poster presentation in groups (plus literature review)

ASSESSMENT SCALE (Topographic midterm test)
S – Excellent (90%-100%)
A – Very good (80%-89%)
B – Good (66%-79%)
C – Pass (41%-65%)
F – Fail (0-40%)

----------------------------
Choose a topic that you are interested in, narrow it down and find 6-8 relevant sources to create a literature review posters in groups of 3.
Each poster will include about 500-600 words of text and 3-5 images (figures, tables, diagrams, etc.). For a literature review poster, you need to provide full references for all materials cited in your poster.
Within this word count, you need to explain why the topic you chose is important to explore, explain your search process, explain the selection process, identify trends in the literature, and provide critical analysis and insight into your topic.

Suggested topics for poster presentation:
1. The Literary Legacy of Central Europe: Exploring the Works of Franz Kafka, Milan Kundera, and Others
2. Artistic Movements in Central Europe: From Secessionism to Avant-Garde
3. Central European Cuisine: A Culinary Journey Through Tradition and Innovation
4. The Impact of World War II on Central European Societies: Memory, Trauma, and Commemoration
5. Religious Diversity in Central Europe: From Catholicism to Protestantism and Beyond
6. Gender Roles and Women's Rights in Central European Societies
7. Music and Dance Traditions of Central Europe: From Classical to Folklore
8. Architectural Marvels of Central Europe: Exploring Gothic, Baroque, and Modernist Structures
9. Folklore and Mythology in Central European Culture: Legends, Tales, and Folk Customs
10. Ethnic Diversity and Minority Communities in Central Europe
11. Educational Systems and Academic Traditions in Central Europe
12. Social Stratification in Central Europe: Exploring Class Divisions and Mobility
13. Healthcare Systems and Public Health Initiatives in Central Europe
14. Urbanization and Rural Life in Central Europe: Challenges and Opportunities
15. Education and Literacy Rates in Central European Countries
16. Youth Culture and Subcultures in Central European Cities
17. Elderly Care and Aging Population Issues in Central Europe
18. Immigration and Integration Policies in Central European Countries
19. Sports and Leisure Activities: Popular Pastimes in Central Europe


This is how to create a poster presentation: https://library.leeds.ac.uk/info/1401/academic-skills/196/presentations-posters/3
Templates:  https://www.canva.com/posters/templates/research/

----------------------------
Optional coursework during the term of the course.

On this website you will find some very interesting quiz questions:
https://upgrader.gapminder.org/tg/europe

Each of the quiz questions is about a European country. There are many misconceptions about these countries. The aim of the exercise is to dispel these misconceptions.
If you complete at least 20 of these quiz questions correctly, and present a personalised certificate for correct completion, you will receive a mark one better for your course assessment.
Don't leave this task to the last day! Try to do a few quiz questions each week. GAPMINDER Foundation will automatically email you a personalised certificate in PDF format for correct completion.
----------------------------

Note:
The course outline and assessment methods may be slightly modified at the instructor's discretion.

Concerning poster presentation homework assignments, students shall receive written feedback with a percentage-based assessment.

Fekete, Elizabeth: Europe's Fault Lines: Racism and the Rise of the Right. Verso 2018

Petr Kopecký, Adam Fagan: The Routledge Handbook of East European Politics. Routledge 2017

Dorota Ostrowska (editor), Francesco Pitassio (editor), Zsuzsanna Varga (editor): Popular Cinemas in East Central Europe: Film Cultures and Histories I.B. Tauris 2017.

Judt, Tony. Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945. Penguin Books, 2006.

György Faludy: My Happy Days in Hell (Hungarian: Pokolbéli víg napjaim)

Ash, Timothy Garton. The Magic Lantern: The Revolution of '89 Witnessed in Warsaw, Budapest, Berlin, and Prague. Vintage, 1999.

Applebaum, Anne. Iron Curtain: The Crushing of Eastern Europe, 1944-1956. Doubleday, 2012.

Snyder, Timothy. Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin. Basic Books, 2010.

Wandycz, Piotr Stefan. The Price of Freedom: A History of East Central Europe from the Middle Ages to the Present. Routledge, 2001.

Judson, Pieter M. The Habsburg Empire: A New History. Harvard University Press, 2016.

Sked, Alan. The Decline and Fall of the Habsburg Empire, 1815-1918. Routledge, 2001.

Kundera, Milan. The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Harper & Row, 1984.

Snyder, Timothy. The Reconstruction of Nations: Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Belarus, 1569–1999. Yale University Press, 2003.

INSTRUCTOR: Gergely KISS-CSAPÓ
gergoe@jiu.ac.jp
Office: H-416

Tuesday in class 2.   11:00 - 12:45
Friday in class 2.      11:00 - 12:45

classroom G-304

INSTRUCTOR: Gergely KISS-CSAPÓ
gergoe@jiu.ac.jp
Office: H-416

Tuesday in class 2.   11:00 - 12:45
Friday in class 2.      11:00 - 12:45

classroom G-304

I will be available to speak with you every Tuesday and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 14:00 p.m., as well as before and after each lecture.
If you cannot meet me during my designated office hours, I will make every effort to arrange a meeting with you as soon as possible on a different day.

RELATED PAGES

https://www.visegradgroup.eu/
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat
https://online.seterra.com/  
https://kahoot.com/
https://www.purposegames.com/
https://ted.com/
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/
https://upgrader.gapminder.org/tg/europe

Reading materials, documentaries, and additional resources will be provided throughout the course to supplement lectures and facilitate discussions.