Course: Europe and Nation States

« Back
Course title Europe and Nation States
Course code KFHS/KB327
Organizational form of instruction Lecture + Seminary
Level of course Bachelor
Year of study 2
Semester Summer
Number of ECTS credits 3
Language of instruction Czech
Status of course Compulsory
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Šmíd Jan, PhDr. Mgr. Ph.D.
Course content
1. Introductory information on the course (content, basic topics, literature, requirements). 2. Methodological introduction I: Pitfalls of definition and controversies about it. What is a nation (in the Anglo-Saxon and Central European sense)? What distinguishes it from tribe ethnicity and race? When are nations formed? 3. Methodological introduction II: The emergence of nation states. The phase of nationalization (periodization of the path to a modern nation) and typological characteristics. The relationship between the nation and the state. 4. Methodological introduction III: Sources and components of nation-building processes. Nations and Nationalism. Nationalization of Czech society. 5. Nationalism I 6. Nationalism II 7. Fascism, as an extreme form of nationalism I 8. Fascism, as an extreme form of nationalism II 9. Is nationalization a positive process? Patriotism vs. nationalism. 10. How to overcome nationalism: The idea of European unification (Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi and the Pan-European Movement). 11. European idea and European identity on the ruins of national states I. (Ortega y Gasset). 12. The European idea and European identity on the ruins of nation states II. (Patočka, Sloterdijk). 13. European idea and European identity: cultural pillars of Europe (Reale). 14. Post-national Europe and civil society (Müller, Ferrara).

Learning activities and teaching methods
unspecified, unspecified, unspecified, unspecified
Learning outcomes
The content of the course is to cover the historical process of nationalization in the European context with regard to critical reflection on the changes that this process brought with it. We also ask about the situation in which Europe, as a post-national space, finds itself, what identity it offers its citizens and what historical heritage it faces new challenges.
The student will get an idea of the causes, nature and consequences of the process of nationalization of Europe, the way of deriving the legitimacy of a modern nation state, its functions, structure and elites, and last but not least the crisis of a modern nation state and attempts to overcome it. The student will gain knowledge about the concepts of the idea of Europe and European civil society.
Prerequisites
None

Assessment methods and criteria
unspecified
Seminar paper + credit interview.
Recommended literature
  • Gellner, Ernst. Nacionalismus. Brno, 2003.
  • Hroch, Miroslav (ed.). Pohledy na národ a nacionalismus (Čítanka textů). Praha, 2003.
  • Hroch, Miroslav. Národy nejsou dílem náhody. Příčiny a předpoklady utváření moderních evropských národů.. Praha, 2009.
  • Lozoviuk, Petr (ed.). Etnicita a nacionalismus v diskurzu 20. století. Brno, 2012.
  • Thiessová A.M. Vytváření národních identit v Evropě 18. až 20. století. Brno, 2007.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester