USESED059 New Threats and Risks in Central Europe in the 21st Century

Faculty of Public Policies in Opava
Winter 2017
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
prof. Dr. Ivan Halász, PhD. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. Dr. Ivan Halász, PhD.
Institute of Central European Studies – 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 course is dedicated to complex phenomena of present day, in particular the conflicts and conflict situations threatening our civilization. Firstly, the attention will be paid to theoretical determination of the terms civilization, society, conflicts, security, extremism, and secondly to threats which, in this context, threaten the world, the EU and the Czech Republic. The special attention will be paid to the issue of migration, energy, terrorism, extremism and establishment of statehood in the post-conflict areas of Europe. In particular, it will be focused on the area of Central Europe, but if it is necessary, then the global context will be mentioned as well.
Syllabus
  • 1. Theoretical determination of the terms civilisation and conflict. Role of these terms in contemporary global discourse.
    2. Confessionalism, ethnicity and nationalism or the conflicts of values. Main conflicts of the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century and their impact on the Czech Republic and the European Union. War at former Yugoslavia and conflicts in Middle East.
    3. Decline of a state and its circumstances. Establishment of state in a post-conflict situation: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, East Timor. Role of international organizations in this process. Solving of the conflicts directed by UN and EU.
    4. Migration processes and integration of migrants before and after 2015. Structures of EU, resp. national state and migration.
    5. Resources and materials alias the conflict of interest. Principal challenges of energy and the Czech Republic in context of Central Europe. European and national energy policy.
    6. Natural disasters and mechanisms of reactions to them, or aid to affected areas. Central Europe, the Czech Republic and humanitarian campaigns. Mechanisms of cooperation.
    7. Complex term of security and threats. Security organizations at the international, European and national levels. Privatization of security and troubles resulting from it.
    8. State and organized crime. History of the issue, matter of re-feudalization of social relations. Global threats and global reactions.
    9. Radicalization of the society and political extremism in Europe and outside Europe. Term of extremism in science and law. Reaction to this phenomenon within the EU and the Czech Republic.
    10. International terrorism and its metamorphoses in the past 200 years. Current world and terrorism.
    11. Armament and disarmament in the 20th century and today. Proliferation of weapons.
    12. Cyber security, new types of conflicts and risks.
    13. Social troubles and threats resulting from it. Crisis of family and traditional values. Global health threats. Possible reactions.
Literature
    required literature
  • PIKNA, BOHUMIL. Mezinárodní terorismus a bezpečnost Evropské unie. Praha: Linde. info
  • POSPÍŠIL, IVO - KŘÍŽ, ZDENĚK a kol. Ozbrojené konflikty po konci studené války. Brno: MPÚ, 2012. info
  • WILLIAMS, PAUL D. (ed.). Security Studies: An Introduction. London: Routledge, 2012. info
  • BÁRTA, M. - KOVÁŘ, M. a kol. Kolaps a regenerace. Cesty civilizací a kultur. Praha: Academia, 2011. info
  • BUZAN, B. - WAEVER, O. - DE WILDE, J. Bezpečnost. Nový rámec pro analýzu. Brno: Barrister & Principa, 2005. info
    recommended literature
  • BÁRTA, M. - KOVÁŘ, M. - FOLTÝN, O. (eds.). Povaha změny. Praha: Vyšehrad. info
  • PEOPLES, C - NICK VAUGHAN-WILLIAMS, N. Critical Security Studies: An Introduction. London: Routledge, 2010. info
  • BIGO, D. - TSOUKALA, A. Terror, Insecurity and Liberty: Illiberal Practices of Liberal Regimes after 9/11. London: Routledge, 2008. info
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
Teacher's information
A seminar work + written preparations + written exam
The course is also listed under the following terms Winter 2016, Winter 2018, Winter 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Winter 2017, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.slu.cz/course/fvp/winter2017/USESED059