Study Abroad | Prague
Fall 2023: Academics

Course Code: Art 312

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

Since Antiquity, humour has been listed as one of the defining traits of human beings. At the same time, it often serves to express antagonism between different groups of people (offensive or subversive humour). As a cultural phenomenon humour is ever evolving and acquires so many forms it defies definition and even poses a threat to theory itself. In any case humour is a great gateway to the study of the peculiarities of a particular culture. This course will take an interdisciplinary approach to the phenomenon of humour, combining literary studies, culture studies, rhetoric, philosophy, ethics and psychology. The first part of the course will present a historical introduction, comparing examples of humour and comedy from different parts of the world and different eras (from Aristophanes to Kharms and contemporary comedians). Key concepts like satire, irony, parody, black humour, wit, hyperbole, absurd humour etc. will be clarified and major philosophical theories of humour will be discussed. Current problems like the limits of humour, political correctness, identity and outgroup derogation will be introduced, to be further discussed in the second part of the course. This part will focus on Czech culture and the many ways humour is present in it. Apart from literary masterpieces by Hašek, Kafka, Havel, Kundera and others we will take a look at comedy in theatre (Jára Cimrman Theatre), film (Czechoslovak New Wave) and other forms of art. The readings will always include an excerpt from a humorous text and a short theoretical text pertaining to the type of humour or the problem presented. From the divine to the obscene, from the hyper-intellectual to the nonsensical, from practical jokes to political satire, the rich palette of humour will give us a unique view of Czech culture.

Course Code: Art 402

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

The course investigates the history of Czech modern art and architecture of the 19th and 20th centuries in the context of Bohemian artistic and architectural tradition. Mostly since the early 19th century, the Czech nationality started to be built on the thought of its own past, separated from German or Austrian historical tradition. Through this intellectual influence, the artistic and architectural legacy of Bohemian landsstarted to have its effect on modern art. Therefore, the course will discuss art and architecture in Bohemia since the Middle Ages until the 18th century as the base for shaping the modern art and architecture of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Course Code: Art 324

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

Although photography is a regular art discipline, due to its broad accessibility, it is perceived by many as a mere technical tool to record reality. Such perception is unsubstantiated on so many levels! The technical aspect of photography is only one part of it. The other, and perhaps even more important is the artistic part: Photographic technology can be seen as a tool in the service of a creative human soul. In addition, both these elements also correspond with and reflect a particular historical timeframe, which has an impact on the overall purport of every single image. This is certainly true about documentary photography, in which the seemingly ‘trivial’ photographer’s choices (such as camera exposure settings, framing/cropping, angles, focal length, composition, depth of field, etc.) have an impact on the outcome and perception of the photograph. It’s even more evident in abstract photography, in which reality/real objects are only used as mere creative tools for self-expression, a parable, a metaphor, a visual story. This course is conceived as a rather passionate invitation to a collective exploration of and adventure in photography as an art form. It combines theoretical aspects of photography, its aesthetic and cognitive value with practical exercises. Several outdoor activities make an integral part of the course in order to improve students’ individual skills in artistic self-expression. Through students’ presentations, the course also offers a brief history of Czech(oslovak) photography.

Course Code: Art 313

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

The course serves as an introduction to the city of Prague as a specific cultural and social milieu, seen through the lens of its artists, architects and their works. It is also intended – particularly through the reading list – to inspire an interest in the unique blend of storytelling and legend that underpins much of the city’s character and history. The scope of the course includes the major periods of European architectural development: from medieval to modern, as well as aspects specifically reflecting the history and heritage of the Czech nation. In structuring the course according to artistic styles and movements, it is hoped that students will recognize the ways in which artists of widely varying origins and temperaments responded to, influenced, or disrupted the artistic conventions of the day, and how their work continues to reflect the social and political dynamics of the city.

Course Code: Art 323

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

This course Provides critical insights into counter culture, graffiti, street-art, underground, punk, hip-hop, political art collectives, etc. Perspectives of anthropology and culture studies are explored. Seminal readings on subcultures, protest and new social movements are used to discuss the practices of ‘alternative’ urban lives in postindustrial society and certain trends of artistic production. Focus is on political interpretation of youth subversion and disclosures of power mechanisms. Visuals and field trips to graffiti and other subcultural sites are a part of this course.

Course Code: Art 309

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

The main objective of this course is to discuss and trace the intricate relation among culture, politics and society in the region of Central and Eastern Europe by delving specifically into Czech multilayered cultural expression in the second half of the 20th century: from the works of art sanctioned by the communist regime to those marginalized by it or born in the exile. While we will primarily focus on the manifestations and significance of Czech official and unofficial cultures in a totalitarian society, we will also inquire into what the social and cultural legacy of these expressions has been after the transition to democracy, and how they are reflected in contemporary cultural and intellectual discourse today. The course will examine these issues in a transversal, multi-disciplinary way. In addition to traditional lecturing and required readings, we will also watch films and documentaries from and about the period, analyze independent photographs and propaganda posters, listen to pro-and anti-communist songs and read works of fiction written and distributed in spite of tough regime censorship. Where appropriate, we will take site visits within Prague to take advantage of persons, events or institutions that might enhance students’ understanding of the course, i.e. Libri Prohibiti Library; Václav Havel library; The Institute for Studying Totalitarian Regimes, Hotel Internacional, etc.

Course Code: Czech 102

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: Czech/ English

The course lays stress on the productive skills of speaking. It is to help learners master basic functional grammar and vocabulary by providing a number of both readymade and improvised everyday life conversations. Attention will be also paid to basic information on Czech culture to help students to communicate in a socially appropriate way.

Course Code: Czech 100 – Mandatory

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English/Czech

The mandatory two-week Intensive Czech course is designed to teach students the basics of the Czech language and, at the same time, to extend their knowledge of Czech culture and everyday life. The communicative approach and everyday vocabulary are emphasized, students communicate in various situations of everyday life: introducing oneself, asking for directions, shopping, at a restaurant, one’s daily routine, likes and dislikes. Various linguistic skills should be developed in balance: knowledge of grammar, comprehension, speaking, and writing.

Course Code: Economics 311

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

Power of a great empire was always based on its economy. Sustainable economic growth is therefore crucial for keeping the political influence as well as for ensuring the prosperity for its inhabitants. Lectures on this course provide an overview of the economic policy and institutional failures that led to economic decay of the selected European powers in the past. In the seminars, students will widen and apply the acquired knowledge to the current economic issues. This course combines application of basic Institutional Economics and International Political Economy.

Course Code: Film 326

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

This course will explore the incredibly rich cinematic tradition of thought provoking and entertaining films produced in the areas of the Czech Republic (the primary area of focus), and Slovakia from the years following World War II up until the beginning of the 21st century. In addition to watching films, we will also be discussing cinema theory and approaches to “reading” films, not only as movies, but also as multifaceted cultural artifacts. To this end, our readings will contain primary source materials on cinema history, historical research, film theory, and literature intended to broaden our understanding of Czech and Slovak culture, cinematic and otherwise.

Course Code: Film 370

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

The growth and development of cinema as an art form during the 20th century led to the creation of the concept of “national cinemas”, where films produced in a given country represent an essential part of a nation’s culture. This course will focus on three of the main “national” cinemas which have been influential in Central Europe: Czechoslovak, Czech, and Slovak. There will also be a final series of lectures devoted to how these national cinemas changed in the course of dramatic upheavals of national boundaries in the late 20th century such as the dissolution of Czechoslovakia. In the course of the semester, we will examine approaches to the concept of national cinemas, how to read national cinemas in terms of nationalism and ethnic identity, and how to navigate the problems with this approach. In addition to watching films, we will also be discussing sociological and cinema theory and approaches to “reading” films, not only as movies, but also as multi-faceted cultural artifacts with an emphasis on the social and theoretical implications. To this end, our readings will contain primary source materials on cinema history, historical research, film theory, and literature intended to broaden our understanding of national cinematic cultures.

Course Code: Film 368

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

Bounded by the Germanic Empires to the West, the Russian Empire and Soviet Union to the East, Hungary and the former Ottoman holdings to the South, the Czech and Slovak lands have long been a site of conflict and creation. This course will explore the incredibly rich cinematic tradition of thought provoking and entertaining films produced in the areas of the Czech Republic (the primary area of focus), and Slovakia from the years following World War II up until the beginning of the 21st century. In addition to watching films, we will also be discussing cinema theory and approaches to “reading” films, not only as movies, but also as multi-faceted cultural artifacts. To this end, our readings will contain primary source materials on cinema history, historical research, film theory, and literature intended to broaden our understanding of Czech and Slovak culture, cinematic and otherwise.

Course Code: Sociology/History 360

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

The course aims to cover the corpus of arguably the greatest Prague writer of the 20th century, Franz Kafka (1883-1924), whose life & work challenge stereotypical notions of nationality and identity and who is also an exemplary figure of fiction created in the face of oppression. Kafka, the wretched under-recognised Prague-German genius, wrote allegories of racial & religious persecution, 6 diagnosing the failures of both solipsism & collective identity while warning against the danger of stereotyping of any kind. Kafka still stands also as one of the most prophetic of early 20th-century writers, not only by anticipating the imminent grim fate of European Jewry, but also by portraying the bureaucratic and exploitative alienations of late-modern capitalism. When in 1946, Hannah Arendt was preparing the first English edition of Kafka’s collected writings, she was quite aware of the impact of the monster she was unleashing upon the world: “Though during his lifetime he could not make a decent living, he will now keep generations of intellectuals both gainfully employed and well-fed.” Post-WWII, generations of critics & philosophers wrote on Kafka’s stories & novels, which proved a veritable testing ground for the creation of new ideas & elaboration of new concepts. The course will attempt a survey of Kafka’s works, read in tandem with their critical & philosophical reading. Thinkers covered will include Walter Benjamin, Theodor Adorno, Gilles Deleuze & Félix Guattari, Jacques Derrida, Hélène Cixous & Hannah Arendt herself, among others.

Course Code: History 318

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

The course covers history of Bohemia and Moravia (historically the Lands of the Bohemian Crown, today the Czech Republic) since primeval times till present; history of the peoples in this territory (ancient cultures, Celts, Germanic tribes, Slavonic tribes, Czechs, Germans, Jews, Slovaks, Gypsies, other minorities); broad geographical context (the Czech Lands – Central Europe – Europe); broad thematic context (political, social, cultural history).

Course Code: History 306

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

This course will focus on the political and cultural impact that the long reign of the Habsburg dynasty had on Central Europe, with an emphasis on the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. After having analyzed the emergence of the Central European empire of the Habsburg, we will study major political and cultural phenomenon, such as the Protestant Reformation, Enlightened absolutism, the “concert of Europe”, the birth of modern nationalism, the legal and societal place of the Jews, and the influence of these phenomenon on the nature of Habsburg power. The course will then propose an interdisciplinary analysis of the “fin-de-siècle” and of Habsburg decline and the last part will be dedicated to the traces of Habsburg political and cultural influence on Central Europe in the 20thcentury. This multifaceted and interdisciplinary approach will provide a global perspective on the history and culture of Central Europe.

Course Code: History 407

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

The course is intended to give more information about the pre-modern history of Prague. It consists from indoor and outdoor lessons focused on important historical and cultural periods of the city from its origins to the 18th century. The course follows also the reflection of premodern period in its memorial dimension using the concept of Pierre Nora’s “realms of memory”. Each topic will be analyzed through lectures and source analysis in the classroom, followed by short excursions to the chosen areas. The program of the course is structured more or less chronologically: from the origins described on the Prague and Vyšehrad Castle, across the development of the medieval urban structure (Old Town, New Town), monastic culture (Emmaus monastery), intellectual centers (Karolinum, Klementinum) and multicultural structures (Jewish town), to the places of local memory re-created in recent times (Bethlehem chapel or Vítkov hill). A special attention is dedicated also to the artistic and architectural development of pre-modern Prague with important milestones (Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque periods).

Course Code: History 302

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

The course focuses on Jewish history in Central and Eastern Europe with an emphasis on the 19th and 20th century. The primary goals of the course are to study the political, cultural and economic situation of the Jews in Central and Eastern Europe and analyze the different forms of Jewish cultural and political identity. In the analysis, special attention will be paid to the history of Central and Eastern European countries at the beginning of the 20th century.

Course Code: History 301

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

The course will introduce students to the phenomenon of nationalism and to the ways nationalism has shaped the history of Central and Eastern Europe. Firstly, students will explore in depth key theories of nationalism, differentiate between the three fundamental concepts of nation, nationalism and state and familiarize themselves with the idea of nation-building process. The course will then focus on historical circumstances in which nationalism emerged in order to fully understand the ideological bases that enabled the emergence of modern nations in Central and Eastern Europe. Students will analyze the building process of the first modern nations (England, the USA and France) and will then focus on Central European nations (German, Polish, Hungarian and Czech) in the context of multinational states in Central and Eastern Europe (especially the Habsburg Empire). They will analyze the way nationalism impacted the redrawing of the European map after World War I, explore the interaction between nationalism and National Socialism and Communism. The course will conclude with a discussion of the role played by nationalism in post-Communist Central Europe and of the rise of right-wing populist parties.

Course Code: History 408

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

The course deals, primarily, with main developing and transformational tendencies in the space of Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe after decline of the Communist block and Soviet Union in 1989–1991. This interdisciplinary and comparative course focuses on key political, economic, social and cultural development in this region in last twenty-five years. It tries to explore successes and failures, differences and similarities of various post-Communist (post-Soviet) states in their effort to transform society and policy. The course will be divided into three wider territorial blocks: firstly, it will concentrate on the development of the postSoviet space where Russian Federation became after the Yeltsin times of crises the dominant country in major parts of the former Soviet territory – Moscow tried to play the decisive role in countries of the so called Near abroad (former republics of the Soviet Union). Despite some countries, such as Baltic states, Georgia and partly Ukraine, Moldova and Azerbaijan inclined more or less to the West, Russian politicians, particularly after Vladimir Putin came to power, at least partly succeeded; secondly, the course will assess transformational efforts of the states in the Central Europe (Eastern Germany which became part of the big Germany, Czechoslovakia which divided peaceably into two states – Czech Republic and Slovakia, Hungary, Poland and the Baltic states) which culminated in their joining the European Union, NATO and other European institutions. Despite their clear direction to co-operate with the Western world they faced, however, a number of different problems inherited from their communist past; thirdly, the course will focus on the space of the South-Eastern Europe which faced in the 1990s the bloody war among the successional states of the former disintegrating Yugoslavian Federation. This war and subsequent complex search for the political settlement in this region led to many losses and delays in later clear tendency of majority South-Eastern countries to join the European projects. Despite this effort only two countries of the former Yugoslavian Federation (Slovenia and Croatia) became members of the European Union. While others, such as Serbia and Montenegro, aim to rejoin the European Union in the horizon of ten years, others face complex problems which almost surely exclude their early joining the European Union.

Course Code: History 335

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

This course approaches Czechoslovak history both chronologically and thematically, addressing some of the most important current strands of European historiography. Combining social, cultural and political history, the course examines the limits of understanding history as a purely top–down process. Bringing together significant recent scholarship from the Czech and Slovak Republics and elsewhere, the course introduces students to the current state of the field. Literature, film, photography and official documents provide an introduction to source analysis.

Course Code: History 329

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

The phrase “Stunde Null” (“Zero Hour”) refers commonly to the scheduled time for the start of some event, especially a military operation (parallel for example for D-Day as a military designation of the allied invasion to Normandy on 6 June 1944 etc.). However, historians use this term also as a metaphor to describe the time immediately following the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany. Last months of the WWII were just as full of contradictions as the following period of peace renewal. Before the end of the war, Nazis dragged millions of people to concentration camps or enslaved them under forced labor in factories far away from their homes. In addition millions of people ran away from cities destroyed by bombing. Mainly in the Eastern Europe, soldiers expelled millions of people from their homes. At the end of the war, Europeans were losing their hope but they still had to find out plans and solutions for the new beginning, i.e. necessary economic recovery and political consolidation. In the course, we will try to discuss and understand the most important social, political and economic circumstances between the last months of the WWII and beginning of the Cold War.

Course Code: History/Art 351

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

The course is focusing on the construction of Czech national identity during the 19th and 20th century. Although the Czech national awakening started first with the beginning of the 19th century, it used the symbols and references through all the historical eras of Czech lands starting with the early medieval times. The course will follow the roots of Czech national consciousness from the first ruling dynasty, through the gothic, renaissance, baroque times until the foundation of Czechoslovakia and its history in the 20th century. Special attention will be dedicated to the symbols and symbolical places, which were used during the creation of Czech national revival as patterns of Czech national identity (e.g. Slavín cemetery, National Museum, National Theatre, Municipal house, the monument of Battle of White Mountain, National Memorial on the Vítkov Hill). By visiting these symbolical places the students will be able to see, what kind of national symbols were used and in which way. The course will be divided into two parts: the first one will be theoretical, in the in order to outline the topic and background of the lecture. Secondly, there will follow field trips to one of the museums/memorials, where the different problematics will be discussed more precisely.

Course Code: History 312

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

The course focuses on the processes and events that have been making the ethnical and political borders of Europe since the arrival of Indo-Europeans until present times. It follows the formations, expansions and differentiations of the Celtic, Germanic, Romance, Slavic and other peoples, the formation of medieval nations or changes in the political map of Europe in the last centuries. It also explains how and when peoples like Basques, Albanians, Hungarians, Turks appeared in Europe. Due to its comprehensive character, the course is suitable for students interested in history, politics, anthropology and linguistics.

Course Code: Literature 360

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

The course aims to cover the corpus of arguably the greatest Prague writer of the 20th century, Franz Kafka (1883-1924), whose life & work challenge stereotypical notions of nationality and identity and who is also an exemplary figure of fiction created in the face of oppression. Kafka, the wretched under-recognised Prague-German genius, wrote allegories of racial & religious persecution, diagnosing the failures of both solipsism & collective identity while warning against the danger of stereotyping of any kind. Kafka still stands also as one of the most prophetic of early 20th-century writers, not only by anticipating the imminent grim fate of European Jewry, but also by portraying the bureaucratic and exploitative alienations of late-modern capitalism. When in 1946, Hannah Arendt was preparing the first English edition of Kafka’s collected writings, she was quite aware of the impact of the monster she was unleashing upon the world: “Though during his lifetime he could not make a decent living, he will now keep generations of intellectuals both gainfully employed and well-fed.” Post-WWII, generations of critics & philosophers wrote on Kafka’s stories & novels, which proved a veritable testing ground for the creation of new ideas & elaboration of new concepts. The course will attempt a survey of Kafka’s works, read in tandem with their critical & philosophical reading. Thinkers covered will include Walter Benjamin, Theodor Adorno, Gilles Deleuze & Félix Guattari, Jacques Derrida, Hélène Cixous & Hannah Arendt herself, among others.

Course Code: Literature 304

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

Fairy tales are a significant part of culture which has been attracting the attention of various fields of knowledge. Through their variety, diversity and colourfulness you can observe the diversity and colourfulness of the world whereas their specifities and peculiarities show distinction and specific nature of particular countries, peoples and cultures. This course first seeks to introduce the area of European fairy tales as a genre within its broader historical, geographical and cultural context, in relation to other European folk genres as myth or legends, with focus on Czech fairy tales and their specifics. The main goal of the course is to show fairy tales as symbolic narratives bringing a lot of information about the world around us as well as about ourselves. There are various theories searching for the disguised symbolical meanings of European fairy tales and the significance which they contain and refer to. While folklorists have been trying to organize and classify fairy tales, psychologists, literary critics and other scholars have been trying to interpret them: to find out which messages, recommendations or other information they bring – about society, its rules, customs or beliefs but also about human wishes, desires or visions. The course will describe and survey the changes in the approach to European fairy tales within the development of scholarship about them. It presents sociohistorical, psychological or anthropological interpretations, as well as biologically based and gender or feminist methods of their interpretation. It touches upon the topics like ethical or moral principles in fairy tales, gender and social roles, or historical and political influences to fairy-tale adaptation.

Course Code: Literature 358

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

Prague is a city hailed by many as magical, mysterious, tragic – its geography a labyrinth of sinuous alleys, its history a patchwork of disconnects, frustrations, betrayals. “This sweet mother has claws,” observed Prague’s most famous and tortured literary son. Over the course of the 20th century, Prague has served as backdrop for, and sometimes the protagonist of, numerous works of fiction by Czech, German and Anglophone writers. The course aims to cover the corpus of “Prague novels” with view to analysing how a “real-life” geographical setting becomes transmuted into fictional space. The first half of the course will cover works by “local”, i.e. German/Czech authors, whose lives were firmly connected with the city (Meyrink, Hašek, Hrabal, Topol, Ajvaz). The second half will survey works by Anglophone/world writers whose acquaintance with the city was less biographical than textual/literary (Roth, Chatwin, Eco, McCarthy, Wilson). We will conclude by discussing a recent monumental Prague novel by an Anglophone writer firmly embedded in the Prague literary scene.

Course Code: Literature 319

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

The course aims to cover the corpus of arguably the two greatest “Czech” writers of the 20th century, Franz Kafka & Milan Kundera, both of whose life & work challenge stereotypical notions of nationality and identity. Both are also exemplary figures of fiction writing created in the face of oppression. Kafka, the wretched unrecognised Prague-German genius, wrote allegories of racial & religious persecution, diagnosing the failures of both solipsism & collective identity while warning against the danger of stereotyping of any kind. Kafka still stands also one of the most prophetic of early 20thcentury writers, not only by anticipating the imminent grim fate of European Jewry, but also by portraying the bureaucratic and exploitative alienations of late-modern capitalism. Kundera’s early brush with & sympathy for, and later break from & abandonment of communist ideology led him to write explicitly political fiction warning against the vagaries of 1950s communism and post-1968 socialist state oppression. His later 1990s fiction, written in French in his exile in Paris, deals with issues of memory, of identity, of the relativization of values, thus best exemplifying the postmodern reconceptualizations of human subjectivity, individual and collective alike.

Course Code: Art/History/Politics 303

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

This interdisciplinary course is designed as a unique insight into Czech/Slovak history, politics and arts, and should provide the students with serious data and information as well as with a “lighter” reflection on certain specifics of the country’s development in the heart of Europe. Students will not be limited to listening to lectures and attending screenings in classrooms, but rather, they should understand that Prague and other locations in the Czech Republic will give them a rare opportunity to study and form their own opinion in public spaces all over the country. Learning through interactive seminars, visual arts and top-quality documentaries will enable the participants to gain an interesting experience on all levels. The course is divided into thirteen weekly sessions, 180 minutes each. Students will write four short mini-essays after each of the larger blocks as per the detailed syllabus below, and a final test. The course is open to students of history, sociology, political science, literature and visual arts as well as to anyone who is interested, eager to learn and has an open mind.

Course Code: Art 304

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

The course will provide an introduction to Czech (and Central European) music and at the same time explore key topics in the philosophy of music, popular music studies and culture studies. Is music a universally comprehensible language or rather a locally specific and arcane form of community formation? The concepts introduced will allow us to discuss this question in general terms while we attempt to pinpoint what makes Czech music unique. Themes covered will include: music and technology, works of art, musical communities and identities, music and emotions, performance, mechanical reproduction, music and visual arts, and others. The classes will consist of interpreting short excerpts from various texts on music, discussion, listening to musical samples, and field trips. Students will be introduced to major Czech and Central European classical composers as well as popular and alternative/underground music groups. Reading excerpts will be taken from texts by philosophers such as Roland Barthes, Theodor Adorno and Jacques Attali, music critics like John Blacking and František Stárek as well as by musicians like David Byrne, John Cage or Miloš Štedron. No prior knowledge of philosophy or musical education is required. In previous semesters, various guest lecturers have also been invited to the course, such as contemporary composer Miloš Orson Štedron.

Course Code: Politics 302

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

This course reacts to the last developments in the Central European space in the dynamic process of European integration. The migration situation since 2015, the threats of terrorism, the decision of Great Britain to leave the European Union in 2020 are largely influencing also the political atmosphere in Central European countries. This class will make an attempt to explain the interdependence of both the developments of five Central European countries (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Austria, Hungary) after the historical changes in 1989, as well as those developments inside the EU caused by the enlargement of the EU into Central Europe. Special attention will be paid to the results of the elections to the European Parliament in May 2019 and to the subsequent decisions of the British government.

Course Code: Politics 315

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

More than ever before, Europe is standing at a crossroads. Multiple crises in the EU and beyond (financial crisis, refugee crisis, Russia-Ukraine geopolitical crisis, Brexit crisis) have had vast impact on Central Europe which is a “natural mirror” of the above-mentioned European crossroads, reflecting both West-East and North-South structural divisions. Sharing the same geopolitical position within the East Bloc, the individual cases – i.e. Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary and others – differed significantly, however, in their respective points of departure, as well as in political-institutional solutions chosen in course of their transitions. This comparative aspect will be studied with a special focus. Students will be also encouraged to challenge the mainstream understanding of “transition” as predictable, gradual and irreversible progress towards the standard “Western” model. The course is designed as a seminar based on a guided discussion about carefully selected texts collected in a reader; active participation of the students is essential.

Course Code: Politics/History/Literature 317

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

The course reacts to current polarization of political life both in the United States and the Czech Republic. It discusses important U.S. and Czech writers, artists and activists who have believed in the indivisibility of freedom (“Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison” – Thoreau) and entered in dialogue with the powerful as well as the powerless in face of dogmatism, fear and indifference. These writers, artists, philosophers and activists have been broadening the notion of democracy and have been keeping the precious “fragile democratic experiment” alive – by fighting for ballot for women and African Americans, by fighting anti-Semitism in the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, by fighting injustice and complacency in Socialist Czechoslovakia, by helping children “of the Enemy,” or by confronting ongoing racial injustice in the United States and the Czech Republic. The course will foster dialogue between American and Czech humanistic thinkers, artists and activists. The course draws inspiration from African American philosopher Cornel West who understands truth “as a way of life” that “allows suffering to speak”.

Course Code: Literature 357

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

The course examines how songs relate to people’s attitudes to public life, and conversely, how atttitudes to public life translate into songs. While focusing on lyrics, the course places selected Czech songs within their political, cultural, historical, and social contexts. Songs will be regarded as either challenging or confirming the status quo, and as either intrinsically political, or political because of the given context of reception (rock’n’roll in the Soviet Bloc). It will be worthwhile to keep these four categories in mind, as the course runs through song material spanning from 19th century Habsburg empire to current day, covering genres from traditional ballads to social bandit songs, protest songs, anti-military songs, revolutionary songs, patriotic songs, topical songs on police shootings against worker’s demonstrations, rock ’n’roll in the Eastern Block, Czech folk singerssongwriters, Roma songs of empowerment, Neo-Nazi pub rock, alternative rock, contemporary rap, and more. Based on relevant theoretical readings questions will be asked such as: Can a song ever be “innocent,” that is, stand outside of politics? Was Ronald Reagan right – was it rock’n’roll that destroyed the Soviet bloc? Did the establishment react differently to rock musicians in the Eastern and in the Western block? Is there an inherent link between the genre of hip hop and oppressed minority cultures? Can a song shape the reaction of a nation after a traumatic experience? What did the Nazi and Communist regimes share in their view of modern trends in songs, etc. Students will co-create the class by bringing in songs of their choice from their own contexts. Guest speakers and field trips will bring a further dimension to the class.

Course Code: Psychology 355

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

Soft skills have a great impact on our success and satisfaction in life. The concept of soft skills consists of both intra-personal and inter-personal aspects. This course presents a well-balanced practical overview of the soft skills world. The content will be adapted according to the students, possible topics are: •• Social perception, stereotyping, prejudices •• Effective communication principles •• Coaching •• Self-management •• Presentation skills •• Assertiveness and manipulation recognition •• Resolving conflicts •• Teamwork, group problem solving •• Stress management •• Authenticity, values •• Creativity Self-experience is one of the most important outcomes of this seminar and therefore active learning methods will be used (discussion, role-play, simulations, exercises, art, reflective journal, peer counseling, etc.). The whole class is more practice-oriented than theory oriented.

Course Code: Sociology 357

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

The aim of the course is combine knowledge from the fields of urban sociology, general sociology and urbanism in order to give students detailed insight into Czech urban situation. At the end of the course, they 1) will have a basic introduction to the field of urban sociology; 2) will be to understand how cities work from the sociological perspective and 2) will have information and knowledge about Czech cities that will help them to benefit from their time here in CR. In the second part of the semester 1) a short commented film trip to smaller town nebo Prague is planned; 2) if possible a talk in class given by an urban professional (i.e. planner) and 3) students’ presentation focused on the comparison of the cities of their origin and Prague. The main output is a paper. The paper will be discussed during session and gradually presented by the students in a short form of reports on their projects.

Course Code: Art 314

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

Students analyze how gender, ethnicity, race, class and sexual orientation are shaped by cultural and societal influences. The focus is on the comparisons of European and US gender regimes and diversity differences, interpretation and evaluation of social actions by religious, gender, ethnic, racial, class, sexual orientation groups affecting equality and social justice in Europe and the U.S. Discussions within this framework include Communist concepts of gender equality, post-socialist transformation and globalization as well as of current cultural gender representations, beauty myth, advertising etc. Documentaries, other visual materials, field trips and a guest speaker lecture are a part of this course.

Course Code: Sociology 353

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

Holistically, landscape sociology incorporates philosophical, cultural, anthropological and ecological interactions between man and nature, and between social and ecological systems. Human experiences with landscapes, social and cultural constructions and transformations of landscapes, and the ways in which we bring meaning to landscapes are the main topics of this course.

Course Code: Psychology 310

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

The course aims at introducing the fundamental aspects of psycholinguistic research, discussing the methods used in psycholinguistics and a summary of the knowledge achieved so far in the field. In the second part of the course, the process of language acquisition in children is discussed, together with examples of developmental language disorders such as dyslexia.

Course Code: Sociology 300

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

Eating is a natural necessity for almost all human beings. Food, however, does more than just help humans survive and grow. It can become a political tool, a marker of social class and gender, a mirror of significant cultural differences. On a more individual scale, it can be related to personal identity, habits, and health. As our perspective in this course is sociological and semiotical, we shall look at food both as a source of embodied experience, and as a language that can be decoded. It is a symbolic system that reflects the everyday habits of humans, norms of societies, as well as deeper, 11 internalized meanings. Food will thus become a lens through which we will see and analyze our different cultures in a new light. We will ask questions such as: What is the place of origin of our food? How did our food get to us? How does food configure and change relations among people? During our comparisons and practical workshops, we shall trace the histories of some of the most significant meals of the Czech Republic (and former Austro-Hungarian empire). Their transformations will help us understand the social changes that took place in Central Europe from a different perspective. Questions such as gender relations, families, political economy, health (obesity, anorexia, bio food), ecology and the nation-state will be discussed. We will read academic articles that react on these questions in various national and ethnic contexts. There will be workshops where students will try to cook a Central European meal and discuss it with a Czech chef, as well a field trip to the local Beer Brewery to learn about the process of beer making and the cultural aspect of its local consumption.

Course Code: Sociology 345

Program Session: East and Central European Studies

Instruction Language: English

The course will acquaint students with contemporary Czech society and art, their “roots” and transformations from three different perspectives. First, the course will pursue how Czech art and music are connected with activism, minority groups and mainstream culture. Second, focus will be placed on how to “read” contemporary urban performances, literature and music from a sociological and semiotic perspective (i.e. art as social life). We will ask: How and why do performances address and fascinate their readers? What value hierarchies and culture-changing signs do they produce? Third, the course will familiarize students with the notions of performance art, digital media, counterculture, mass culture, and show their impact on Czech individuals and society. The course will elucidate the transitions in Czech art scene after 1989, together with their socio-historical context. It will explore different understandings of post-communist movements as represented in the performances and works by Czech artists and thinkers. Czech perspectives will be confronted with Western social and literary criticism.