UVSRPCK021 Minority Group Issues and Protection of Minorities

Faculty of Public Policies in Opava
Summer 2016
Extent and Intensity
0/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
prof. PhDr. Mečislav Borák, CSc. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Mečislav Borák, CSc.
Institute of Public Administration and Social Policy – Faculty of Public Policies in Opava
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to acquaint students with the basic concepts of ethnic theory as well as with the legislation on legal protection of minorities, including the interpretation of the most important laws and regulations applicable in the Czech Republic and the European Union, as well as internationally binding conventions and legal standards. The course looks closer at concrete examples of models of relations between nations and states as well as at problems of preservation and revitalization of minority ethnic identities, focusing on capturing the development and current problems of ethnic minorities in the Czech lands. It also notices the history and current state of the protection of minorities, including examples of violations of minority rights (racism, the Holocaust, genocide, xenophobia, discrimination against certain minority groups), as well as the causes and consequences of migration. Practical examples of these issues will be discussed at the seminars, also acquainting the students with the characteristics of minority policy in the Czech Republic and the creation of a multicultural society, with an emphasis on open discussion on topical issues and options for their solutions. Study Outcomes: Professional Knowledge: Having successfully completed the course, the students know basic concepts of ethnic theory and basic legislation on the legal protection of minorities, with an emphasis on Czech and European legal standards. They are familiar with the ethnic structure of the Czech Republic, they know the historical development of ethnic minorities and their current problems and minority policy in the Czech lands. They can also demonstrate basic knowledge regarding the violation of minority rights and know examples of discrimination leading up to genocide, including their causes, motives, course and consequences. Professional Skills: Having successfully completed the course, the students can explain and use in practice the concepts related to the issue of minorities and their protection and they can independently acquire new sources of information about minority issues and apply the knowledge gained through interpretation of legal standards to concrete practical examples. They are well-informed on the current means of prevention or redress of discriminatory practices against minorities. General Qualification: Students can make good use of the interdisciplinary focus of the course on the intersection of history, sociology, psychology, political science and law not only for specific work with minorities in the field of public administration, but also in their work performance in many related fields. Also positive is the emphasis on mastering the ability to recognize the ethical dimension of problems related to the observance of minority rights.
Syllabus
  • 1. Basic concepts of ethnic theory
    2. Models of relations between nations and states
    3. Problems of preservation and revitalization of the ethnic identity of minorities
    4. Development and current issues of indigenous minorities in the Czech Republic
    5. Development and current issues of other minorities in the Czech Republic
    6. Migration, asylum policy and new ethnic groups in the Czech Republic
    7. Theory and practice of minority policy in Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic
    8. Basics of legal protection of minorities, the development of international standards of minority rights protection
    9. Motives and tools of genocides
    10. 20th Century Genocides - examples (Armenians, the Holocaust, the crimes of Nazism and Communism)
    11. 20th Century Genocides - examples (Cambodia, China, Africa), possibilities of prevention
    12. Multiculturalism and discrimination, the attitude of Czech society towards minorities
    13. Summary
Literature
    required literature
  • BAAR, V. Národy na prahu 21. století. Emancipace nebo nacionalismus? Ostrava: Ostravská univerzita; Šenov u Ostravy:, 2002. ISBN 80-86101-66-5. info
  • VÁCLAVÍK, D. Etnické a kulturní minority ve střední Evropě. Liberec: Technická univerzita, 2001. ISBN 80-7083-457-9. info
  • Šišková, T. (ed.). Menšiny a migranti v České republice. Praha: Portál, 2001. ISBN 80-7178-648-9. info
  • GABAL, I. a kol. Etnické menšiny ve střední Evropě. . Konflikt nebo integrace. Praha: G plus G, 1999. info
  • Ternon, Y. Genocidy XX. století. Zločinný stát. Praha: Themis, 1997. info
    recommended literature
  • ŠEVČÍKOVÁ, E. Problematika menšinových skupin. Skriptum. Opava, Fakulta veřejných politik SU, 2012. info
  • PETRÁŠ, R. Menšiny v komunistickém Československu. Právní a faktické postavení národnostních menšin v českých zemích 1948 - 1970. Praha: Eurolex Bohemia, 2007. ISBN 9788087134351. info
  • BORÁK, M. Ochrana menšin. Rozšířený sylabus a čítanka. Opava, Ústav veřejné správy a regionální politik, 2006. info
  • Naimark, N. M. Plameny nenávisti. Etnické čistky v Evropě 20. století. Praha: nakladatelství Lidové noviny, 2006. ISBN 80-7106-751-2. info
  • BITTNEROVÁ, D., MORAVCOVÁ, M. Kdo jsem a kam patřím. Praha: Sofis, 2005. ISBN 80-902785-8-2. info
  • BORÁK, M. Problematika menšinových skupin. Rozšířený sylabus a čítanka. Ústav veřejné správy a regionální politiky FPF S, 2005. info
  • BELL-FIALKOFF, A. Etnické čistky. Praha: Práh, 2003. ISBN 80-7252-070-9. info
  • HROCH, M. (ed.). Pohledy na národ a nacionalismus. Praha: SLON, 2003. ISBN 80-86429-20-2. info
  • GAUß, K. M. Vymírající Evropané. Praha: Vitalis, 2003. ISBN 80-7253-122-0. info
  • FOREJTOVÁ, M. Mezinárodněprávní ochrana menšin. Plzeň: Západočeská univerzita v Plzni, 2002. ISBN 80-7082-843-9. info
  • BARŠA, P. Politická teorie multikulturalismu. Brno: CDK, 1999. ISBN 80-7083-457-9. info
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: Přednáška 9 HOD/SEM.
Teacher's information
1) review of a new book title, an important article, artwork, or websites related to minority issues (3 pages), in order to verify the ability of independent search and processing of information, including their analysis,
2) essay or scientific paper focused on a specific topic of the lectures' scope, mainly on contemporary issues of ethnic minorities and other minorities in the Czech Republic (at least 7 pages), in order to verify the ability to generalize any concrete issue and process analytic or systematic analytical academic text correctly both in terms of factuality and methodology. Both works will be classified in the seminar and their assessment will be part of the overall marks in this subject.
The instructor will notify the students on the topics that have not been fully lectured for them to seek in the compulsory literature or at the e-learning site.
The course is also listed under the following terms Summer 2015, Summer 2017, Summer 2018, Summer 2019, Summer 2020, Summer 2021, Summer 2022, Summer 2023, Summer 2024, Summer 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Summer 2016, recent)
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