FVP:USESEA022 International Relations in Eas - Course Information

USESEA022 International Relations in Eastern Europe

Extent and Intensity

2/0/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).

Teacher(s)

prof. PhDr. Zdeněk Jirásek, CSc. (lecturer)

Guaranteed by

prof. PhDr. Zdeněk Jirásek, CSc.
Institute of Central European Studies – Faculty of Public Policies in Opava

Prerequisites

Expert Knowledge:
Students are able to define basic international relations theories and their development, and to describe the main tendencies and contexts of the international relations development in the space of Central and Eastern Europe from the beginning of Cold War up to the present.
Expert Skills:
Students are able to independently analyze the state of international relations in the area of Central and Eastern Europe; to critically evaluate expert literature dealing with the topic; to identify and evaluate key variables that affect international relations, namely the systemic and political variables.
General Competency:
Students are able to independetly analyze international relation in the given region and to apply basic theories in their analysis. They are able to critically analyze a selected topic, to determine its main aspects and to look up and use adequate professional literature.

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

• Central European Studies (programme FVP, N6702-MTS)

Course objectives

The aim of the subject is to familiarize the students with the pattern of development of international relations in the space of Central and Eastern Europe from World War II up to the present. In the introductory theoretical part, students will be familiarized with the basic theories and concepts of international relations and their development. The first thematic bloc deals with the periond of existence of these countries in the so called Soviet Camp with special focus on its main aspects - mainly the context and causes of the integration into the Soviet sphere of influence. It further further concentrates on the form of foreign policy and mutual relationships, key problems in the international relationships between the East and the West in relation to the researched region, and the internationally political causes of the fall of local non-democratic regimes. The second thematic bloc deals with the development of international relationships in the area of Central and Eastern Europe after the year 1990, with special attention paid to the proces of democratization of foreign policy and its orientation to the West, the development of foreign policy and mutual relationships, joining the Euroatlantic and regional integration processes, international and political context of the unsuccessful transition of post-Soviet area, the role of Russia and its foreign policy.

Syllabus

• 1. Introduction to International Relations Theory.
  2. The causes of the Soviet Bloc formation and of the Cold War.
  3. East -West: key problems of international relations and the role of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.
  4. Mutual relations between the countries of the Eastern Bloc and their foreign policies.
  5. International political causes of the fall of the Soviet Bloc.
  6. Basic foreign policy development tendencies in Central Europe from the year 1990 up to the present.
  7. Basic foreign policy development tendencies in the area of Eastern Europe from the year 1990 up to the present.
  8. The role of Russia and its foreign policy in the area of Central and Eastern Europe.
  9. The role of the EU and the USA in the area of Central and Eastern Europe.
  10. Contemporary integration trends in Central Europe.
  11. Contemporary integration trends in Eastern Europe.
  12. The prognosis of further development of international relations in the area of Central and Eastern Europe.
  

Literature

required literature
• KREJČÍ, O. Mezinárodní politika. Praha: Ekopress, 2010. ISBN 978-80-86929-60-6. info
• DRULÁK, P. Teorie mezinárodních vztahů. Praha: Portál, 2010. ISBN 978-80-7367-721-3. info
• LUKÁŠEK, L. Visegrádská skupina a její vývoj v letech 1991-2004. Praha: Karolinum, 2010. ISBN 978-80-246-1859-3. info
• HODAČ, J., STREJČEK, P. Politika Ruské federace v postsovětském prostoru a střední Evropě. Brno: Mezinárodní politologický ústav, 2008. ISBN 978-80-210-4721-1. info
• HANDL, V. a PICK, O. Zahraniční politika České republiky 1993-2004: úspěchy, problémy a perspektivy. Praha: Ústav mezinárodních vztahů, 2004. ISBN 80-86506-39-8. info
• PLECHANOVÁ, B. a FIDLER, J. Kapitoly z dějin mezinárodních vztahů 1941-1995. Praha: Institut pro středoevropskou kulturu a po, 1997. ISBN 80-85241-79-X. info

recommended literature
• ORBÁN, A. Moc, energie a nový ruský imperialismus. Praha: Argo, 2010. ISBN 978-80-257-0251-2. info
• LEICHTOVÁ, M. Pod maskou medvěda. Neporozumění ve vztazích Ruska a Západu po skončení studené války. Brno: Václav Klemm, 2010. ISBN 978-80-904083-4-0. info
• PROZOROV, S. Understanding conflict between Russia and the EU: the limits of integration. Houndmills, Palgrave Macmillan, 2006. ISBN 1-4039-9689-X. info
• NÁLEVKA, V. Studená válka. Praha: Triton, 2003. ISBN 80-7254-327-X. info
• CABADA, L. (ed.). Perspektivy regionu střední Evropy. Plzeň: Západočeská univerzita, 2002. ISBN 80-7082-884-6. info
• VYKOUKAL, J., LITERA, B. a TEJCHMAN, M. Východ. Vznik, vývoj a rozpad sovětského bloku 1944-1989. Praha: Nakladatelství Libri, 2000. ISBN 80-85983-82-6. info
• KISSINGER, H. Umění diplomacie. Od Richelieua k pádu Berlínské zdi. Praha: PROSTOR, 1999. ISBN 80-7260-025-7. info
• LEŠKA, V. Rusko, Polsko, střední Evropa: dědictví minulosti a současnost. Praha: Ústav mezinárodních vztahů, 1998. ISBN 80-85864-46-0. 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

Exam requirements: a seminar paper, a critical review on the book selected from the list of recommended literature, oral exam.

• Enrolment Statistics (Summer 2014, recent)
  
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