The Other Europe: The Habsburgs, Communism, & Central/Eastern Europe, 1740-1990

Catalog description

During the last two centuries, Central and Eastern Europe has been a political laboratory and #8212;a region in which various political actors had attempted to launch and develop radical political and social experiments, from imperial reforms meant to strengthen and modernize the Habsburg empire, to the ethnic cleansing promoted by Nazi Germany and their acolytes in the region, to the attempts at establishing of a new social order under the post-WWII communist regimes. An understanding of the profound and rapid political and social changes that have occurred in this region will enable you to see global politics in a new light, and better understand the modern era. This course is a survey of the history of modern Central and Eastern Europe, from late 18th to late 20th century. It begins with a focus on modern Habsburg empire, the rise of nationalism in mid 19th century, and the demise of the Austro-Hungarian empire following the First World War. It continues with an examination of the rise of illiberal politics during the interwar era, the Second World War, and the establishment of the communist regimes and the Soviet sphere of influence during the Cold War. Course materials include secondary historical analyses, primary sources, memoirs, and documentaries. The course will rely heavily on the format of interactive lectures, a combination of lecture and discussion, which will productively challenge the students to engage with the material in a critical manner, and will help them contextualize and enrich the knowledge they gain from the course readings. This course fulfills Dietrich College's "Humanities" general education requirement.