Eastern Europe since the 19th Century:
The Question of Modernity
Scarboro
The End of the Prague Spring (or the Beginning)
Class Meetings: T/Th 12:30-1:45 (H-M 301)
Office: 312 H-M
Office Hours: M/W 2:00-3:30; T/Th 8:00-11:00
E-mail: cristoferscarboro@kings.edu
Phone: 208-5900 ext. 5637
Sharepoint: http://sharepoint.kings.edu/sites/HIST488/default.aspx
I. Course Description
This course investigates Eastern European history from the 19th Century: a period which saw the birth of the Eastern European national states, the expansion of imperial power and its destruction, the socialist experiment, globalization, “reintegration” with Europe writ large, and the possibility that Eastern Europe as an idea may no longer be tenable (or at least losing explanatory power).
Objectives for the student:
This course will ask the student to make sense of Eastern Europe, its creation, enforcement, and transformation as a historical and geographical phenomenon. He or she is to become familiar with the major cultural, social, political and economic trends of the Eastern European 19th and 20th Century and to be able to interpret them in historical context. Extensive use of primary source documents with give the student an opportunity to engage with artifacts of the time as a historian, placing them in conversation with one another and a range of historiographical interpretations. The student will be asked to research a topic of particular interest and to present their findings in written and oral presentations. In short, the student will engage in the creation of historical narrative as an academic historian. These everyday tools of the historian will serve you well in any field you chose to enter.
Goals for the student:
This course is intended to both introduce students to the historical content of Eastern Europe and its interpretation, but also to help foster their own skills as critical readers and writers of history. Students will be asked to organize major events, actors and social and cultural trends in historical context, explain their transformation over time, and interpret them from several differing perspectives. To that end we will explore basic elements of historical practice: how to define a problem for historical study; how to find relevant evidence upon which to base your findings; how to write up this research into informed, judicious and convincing representations of the past. This will culminate in a written research paper at the end of the semester.
General Learning Outcomes for the student:
In researching and writing the Eastern European experience, this course will ask students to sift through many differing types of data and interpretations and to form from this morass a well articulated and defensible understanding of the past. Broadly speaking this course is intended to foster a greater facility in organizing, prioritizing, synthesizing and reporting information.
A. Course Readings:
Ivo Andrić, The Bridge on the Drina, Lovett F. Edwards, trans., University of Chicago Press, 1977
Ivan Berend, History Derailed: Central and Eastern Europe in the Long Nineteenth Century, University of California Press, 2005
Richard Crampton, Eastern Europe in the Twentieth Century—and After, Routledge Press
Tina Rosenberg, The Haunted Land: Facing Europe’s Ghosts after Communism, Vintage 1995
Joe Sacco, Safe Area Gorazde, Fantagraphics Books, 2002
Philip Kaufman, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, 1988
Milcho Manchevski, Before the Rain, 1995
As well as providing you with the methodological and analytical tools for engaging in historical thinking, this class will ask you to actively take part in a larger conversation of historical issues within the class. I expect this class to allow us to delve deeply into the historical topics of each week’s readings. To that end, you need to make sure that you arrive to class on time ready to discuss the weekly readings, having carefully read and thought over the material. You must take an active role in the class discussions. Thus a portion of your grade will depend on your in-class performance and presence.
In a class of this nature it goes without saying that a classroom environment in which everyone feels comfortable is essential. You should treat your fellow classmates with respect, listen carefully to their comments and respond to them in a polite manner.
King’s College regards student participation in class as essential to the learning process. Therefore, regular class attendance is required of all students. After three unexcused absences your class participation grade will drop a letter grade (from A to B). Each subsequent absence will result in another letter grade deduction. Please see the King’s College Student Handbook for policies regarding excusing absences and campus attendance policies.
Students are responsible for making up any work they miss while absent from class. Work missed should be turned in the day you return from an excused absence (unless otherwise agreed to). Late work due to an unexcused absence will be penalized a 1/3 a grade (from A to A-) for each day late.
If you miss an exam, contact the instructor as soon as possible. You may take a missed exam at the discretion of the instructor.
E. Leading Class Discussion:
You will be responsible for leading class discussion at least once during this semester. This will entail reading the assigned text or film closely, arranging a list of topics and themes to discuss in class and preparing a series of questions to discuss during class. You will e-mail a list of 8-10 questions to me and your classmates no later than 5:00 the evening before class so that we will have time to reflect on them and prepare responses.
F. Written Assignments:
Your writing assignments in this class will consist of a film review and a longer research paper.
Your first writing assignment, a research paper is due in its final form on April 15th. Your paper should be between 10-12 pages on a topic pertaining to Eastern Europe in the 19th and 20th century. Your work on this paper will be done in many stages. You will meet with me individually during my office hours prior to January 29th. You will need to turn in an annotated bibliography by February 21st. Your introductory paragraph is due March 25th. I will be happy to read rough drafts between March 25th and the final due date of April 15th.
Your second writing assignment is a film review. You review which should be 2-3 pages is to interpret an Eastern European film. You are to place the film in historical context, analyze and interpret its message and meaning. List of Eastern European Films
H. Exams:
This class will also require a midterm examination (held in class on Feb. 14th) and a final examination to be held during finals week. These will consist of both essay and short answer material and will further ask you to interpret texts as we have been doing in class.
I. Grading:
It is your responsibility to understand why you have achieved a certain grade, and what
steps you can take to maintain or improve your grade. You should consult with the
instructor during office hours or by appointment before and after exams and written
assignments.
For your protection, in case of errors in record keeping, you should keep copies of all
exams and assignments until you have received official notice of your final grade.
**Your final grade will be based on the following percentages
| 100-98 | A+ |
| 97-95 | A |
| 94-92 | A- |
| 91-89 | B+ |
| 88-85 | B |
| 84-83 | B- |
| 82-80 | C+ |
| 79-77 | C |
| 78-75 | C- |
| 74-70 | D |
| 69< | F |
**Your grade distribution for assignments is as follows:
| Class Part. / Leading Discussion | 20% |
| Paper | 25% |
| Midterm Exam | 15% |
| Final Exam | 25% |
| Film Review | 15% |
J. Academic Integrity:
The Department of History adheres to guidelines on academic integrity outlined in the Student Conduct Code in the Student Handbook: http://www.kings.edu/student_handbook/studentregulations_rights/conductcode.htm
Cheating and plagiarism will be penalized in accord with the penalties and procedures indicated in that source. All students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the definition of these infractions of academic honesty.
K. Disabilities:
King’s College and this instructor will make every effort to accommodate students with a bona-fide disability that impacts on their ability to learn the course material. Please meet with me privately so that appropriate arrangements can be made to help in the learning process.
IV. Course Schedule:
Introduction
Tuesday, January 15th
When and Where is Eastern Europe?
Thursday, January 17th
**Berend, History Derailed,1-40
The Ottoman Imperial Experience
Tuesday, January 22nd
The Hapsburg Imperial Experience
Thursday, January 24th
The Russian Imperial Experience
Tuesday, January 29th
**Topic for your Research Paper due--you must meet with me by this date**
Discussion: Andric, Bridge on the River Drina
Thursday, January 31st
**Andric, Bridge on the Drina, entire
**Disscussant(s):
Elizabeth Walpole
Nick Matthews
Vito Malacari
Nationalism in the Balkans
Tuesday, February 5th
Berend, History Derailed, 41-89
The Springtime of Nations
Thursday, February 7th
**Berend, History Derailed, 90-133
Eastern Europe at the turn of the Century
Tuesday, February 12th
**Berend, History Derailed, 134-181
Midterm Examination
Thursday, February 14th
Forming National Communities: Neighbors, Minorities and Nation-States
Tuesday, February 19th
**Berend, History Derailed, 235-284
The Great War
Thursday, February 21st
**Berend, History Derailed, 285-290
**Annotated Bibliography Due**
Post-War Revolutions
Tuesday, February 26th
**Crampton, Eastern Europe in the 20th Century, 31-39; Bulgaria, 130-144
Enforcing the Nation—the Rise of the Right
Thursday, February 28th
**Crampton, Eastern Europe in the 20th Century, Poland, 39-57; Czechoslovakia, 57-78
The Yugoslav Experiment
Tuesday, March 11th
**Crampton, Eastern Europe in the 20th Century, 130-144
World War II and Ethnic Cleansing
Thursday, March 13th
**Crampton, Eastern Europe in the 20th Century, 179-209
The “Sovietization” of Eastern Europe
Tuesday, March 18th
**Crampton, Eastern Europe in the 20th Century, 240-274
Fissures
Tuesday, March 25th
**Introductory Paragraph of your Research Paper due**
1968
Thursday, March 27th
**Crampton, Eastern Europe in the 20th Century, 345-366
Discussion: Kaufman, The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Tuesday, April 1st
**Discussant(s):
Gerald Pender
Jeff Massetti
Mark Esposito
Solidarnost
Thursday, April 3rd
**Crampton, Eastern Europe in the 20th Century, 367-379
Dissidence and Stagnation
Tuesday, April 8th
**Crampton, Eastern Europe in the 20th Century, 379-390
Velvet Revolutions(?): 1989
Thursday, April 10th
**Crampton, Eastern Europe in the 20th Century, 391-418
Not-so Velvet Revolutions (Yugoslavia)
Tuesday, April 15th
**Research Paper Due**
Discussion: Sacco, Safe Area Gorazde
Thursday, April 17th
**Sacco, Safe Area Gorazde, entire
**Discussant(s):
Eric Muttick
Drew Quinton
Lauren Petrone
Discussion: Manchevski, Before the Rain
Tuesday, April 22nd
**Discussant(s):
Chris Ring
Phillip Stroup
Phil Gakos
Andrew Bartle
Discussion: Rosenberg, This Haunted Land
Thursday, April 24th
**Rosenberg, This Haunted Land, entire
**Discussant(s):
Randy Shoemaker
Chris Knechel
Dan Johnson
Returning to Europe(!)(?)
Tuesday, April 29th