OVERVIEW

Why are some post-communist countries more politically and economically successful than others? What underlies the many conflicts in this region? What can happen in the future, and what can we learn from the East European experience? This course is designed to study different topics such as the history of the region. The course consists of two modules: one historian, the other political, both of them in English.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

This course aims to deepen the evolution of Eastern European countries and the region since the October Revolution. The first part focuses on historical formation of the States of the region, the events in 1989, the transitions there after, and the long/period reasons of the frozen conflicts. The second part provides a political science analysis of Eastern European Countries and Soviet space under communist rule and the different reactions in their processes of democratizations as well as their social, economic, political transformations since the fall of Communism, and the major issues like Color Revolutions and specific policies within Eastern Europe. The learning outcomes: knowledge and understanding of historical, political, economic and international processes that characterize the International history of Eastern Europe; awareness of the distinction between facts and opinions about the history and politics of Eastern Europe; skills in using different methodological approaches; critical reflection on the questions presented; skills for operating in the cooperation field; skills in using the second language in thematic narratives; skills in learning to learn.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

awareness of the distinction between facts and opinions about the history and the politics of Eastern Europe;

• skills in using different methodological approaches;

• critical reflection on the questions presented;

• skills for operating in the cooperation field;

• skills in using the second language in thematic narratives.

TEACHING METHODS

36 hours lectures

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

• Capacità di comprendere i processi storici, politici, economici e internazionali che caratterizzano l’Europa orientale;

• consapevolezza della distinzione tra fatti e opinioni sulla storia e sulla politica dell’Europa orientale;

• competenze nell’utilizzo di approcci metodologici diversi;

• riflessione critica sulle domande presentate;

• competenze per operare nel campo della cooperazione;

• competenze nell’uso della seconda lingua nelle narrazioni tematiche.

la storia dell’area, il socialismo di Stato e il suo crollo, l’emergere di conflitti etnici e religiosi, le transizioni alla democrazia e l’economia di mercato, l’adesione alla NATO e all’Unione Europea, la democrazia e il conflitto russo con l’Ucraina.

Il corso si compone di due moduli: uno storico, l’altro politologico, entrambi svolti in lingua inglese.MODULO STORICO

Questo modulo approfondisce la nascita e l’evoluzione dei paesi dell’Europa dell’Est e della regione dalla Rivoluzione d’Ottobre: formazione storica degli Stati della regione, sino agli eventi del 1989; transizioni successive; analisi dei frozen conflicts; l’Europa dell’Est, la Russia, l’UE e la NATO.

MODULO POLITOLOGICO

Questo modulo esamina la politica della transizione e del cambiamento nei paesi post-comunisti nel tentativo di istituire nuovi regimi democratici e di trovare il loro posto nel mondo. Il modulo è costituito da tre parti principali. La prima parte si concentra sull’esperienza e sulla natura del dominio comunista, per sviluppare la comprensione di base del comunismo come un sistema ideale, politico e uno stile di vita. La seconda parte esamina le transizioni, esamina i modelli regionali di cambiamento e li lega alla terza e quarta ondata (rivoluzioni colorate) della democratizzazione a livello mondiale. L’ultima parte affronta le questioni della politica postcomunista in Europa, esplorando le forme e la qualità della democrazia nei nuovi Stati, considerando l’effetto degli allargamenti dell’UE sui nuovi Stati membri e sui vicini dell’UE e tratta del futuro del comunismo nel mondo.Corso in lingua inglese - 36 ore, 6 CFU.I testi e i materiali saranno a disposizione nella pagina Aulaweb del corso.hy are some post-communist countries more politically and economically successful than others? What underlies the many conflicts in this region? What can happen in the future, and what can we learn from the East European experience? This course is designed to help you answer these and similar questions. Topics include the history of the region, state-socialism and its collapse, the emergence of ethnic and religious conflict, the transitions to democracy and market economics, entry into NATO and the European Union, democratic backsliding, and Russia's conflict with Ukraine.

The course consists of two modules: one historian, the other political, both of them in English.Knowledge and understanding of historical, political, economic and international processes that characterize Eastern Europe;

The module examines the politics of transition and change in post-communist countries in their effort to establish new democratic regimes and find their place in the world. The module consists of three main parts.

Part I focuses on the experience and nature of communist rule, to develop basic understanding of communism as an ideal, political system, and a life style. Part II looks at transitions, examining regional patterns of change and relating them to the 3rd and 4th waves (coloured revolutions) of democratisation globally. Part III discusses the issues of post-communist politics in Europe, by way of exploring the forms and quality of democracy in the new states, considering the effect of EU enlargements on the new Member States and the EU neighbours; and discussing the future of communism in the world.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Available in Aulaweb

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

MARA MORINI (President)

LARA PICCARDO (President)

MARIA ELEONORA GUASCONI

GUIDO LEVI

DIANA SPULBER

LESSONS

LESSONS START

18th September

Class schedule

POLITICS OF EASTERN EUROPE

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral. discussion.

Exam schedule