B2960 - COOPERATION AND FRAGMENTATION IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

Learning outcomes

This module explores the processes of cooperation and fragmentation that have characterised the dynamics taking place in Central and Eastern Europe since the 1990s, at both inter-state and macro-regional level. By the end of the module, student will be able to assess the social, economic, historical factors underpinning such processes.

Course contents

In order to achieve the learning outcomes, participants will make four main steps in their intellectual journey through the seminar: First, they will explore understanding(s) of Central and Eastern Europe. Second, they will try to conceptualize the categories of cooperation, integration, as well as disintegration and fragmentation, especially in the political context. Third, by case and comparative studies they will broaden and deepen their knowledge about the studied processes in the region. Fourth, they will translate gained knowledge into cooperation-supporting policy recommendation.

Ten (two hours each) classes of the seminar will be divided into the following contents:

1. Central and Eastern Europe: approaches, (hi)stories and attitudes – towards conceptualization of the region(s).

2. Integration and disintegration – main approaches to study cooperation and fragmentation in Europe.

3. Central and Eastern Europe and (dis)integration of European Empires at the end of XIX and beginning of XX century

4. Central and Eastern Europe and (dis)integration of the Eastern Block

5. Disintegration of composite states in Central and Eastern Europe (cases of the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia)

6. Continental integration and the Central and Eastern Europe (cases of the European Union and NATO)

7. Subregional integration and the Central and Eastern Europe (cases of Visegrad Group, Weimar Triangle, Nordic Council, cross-border cooperation, border twin towns, etc.)

8. The EU, alternative cooperation initiatives and disintegration tendencies (cases of Eastern Partnership, Three Seas Initiative, Hungary, Poland, etc.).

9. Designing recommendations strengthening cooperation tendencies in the Central and Eastern Europe region – policy oriented approach.

10. Seminar summary and conclusions.

Readings/Bibliography

All the obligatory readings in the digitalized form will be made available to seminar participants in the form of the seminar reader. It contains among others:

Baltic-Black Sea Regionalisms. Patchworks and Networks at Europe’s Eastern Margins, 2020, Olga Bogdanova, Andrey Makarychev (eds.), Cham: Springer.

Blazek, Jiri, 2005, Break up of Czechoslovakia: roots, 1989, and consequences, Treballs de la Societat Catalana de Geografia, No. 39.

Březovská, Romana and Vendula Karásková, 2021, The Future of Europe: What Role for Visegrad Cooperation?, Policy Paper, No. 9.

Cara, Valeria Stefania, 2021, Eastern Partnership: between linkages with the EU and Russia, Debater a Europa, No. 25

Chryssochoou, Dimitris N., 2021, Theorizing European Integration, University of Exeter.

Soroka, G. and T. Stępniewski, 2019, The Three Seas Initiative: Geopolitical Determinants and Polish Interests, Rocznik Instytutu Europy Środkowo-Wschodniej, No. 17.

Jańczak, Jarosław, 2021, Cross-border Cooperation between the Visegrad States after 1989. Block Building, Regional De-Bordering and Economic Development, [in:] A közép-európai országok együttműködése: 1920-2020. Central-European Co-operation: 1920-2020, Andrea Miklósné Zakar, Krisztián Manzinger, Zsolt László Becsey (eds.), Budapest: Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem.

Disintegration and Integration in East-Central Europe: 1919 – Post-1989, 2014, Loth, Wilfried, and Nicolae Pãun, (eds.). Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft.

Malová, Darina and Branislav Dolny, 2008, The Eastern Enlargement of the European Union: Challenges to Democracy?, Human Affairs, No. 18.

Méndez Pérez, Óscar, 2021, The Three Seas Initiative: Configuration and Global Geopolitical Consequences, Opinion Paper No. 48.

Nation Building in Baltic States: History, Memory and Identity, 2017, K. B. Usha (ed.), Adroit Publishers.

Tromp, Nevenka, 2021, Ongoing Disintegration of Yugoslavia: historiography of the conflict that won’t go away, Leidschrift, No. 36.

Teaching methods

The seminar is based on the following teaching methods:

1. introductory interactive lecture offered by a teacher;

2. individual preparatory work on previous prepared study materials (academic texts and multimedia materials);

3. individual, student’s presentations enabling deepening of own interests and focusing on the most important (from each participant’s perspective) aspects of the seminar;

4. class-wide work including peer-comments and critical debate;

5. group tasks enabling practice oriented approach and applicability of the studied phenomena.

Assessment methods

To assess the seminar students are supposed to:

1. physically participate in the classes;

2. read the obligatory texts gathered in the seminar reader;

3. actively contribute to the seminar works by rising questions, making comments and participating in group tasks;

4. prepare and present a short individual presentation on selected theme;

and

5. prepare and present a group task of a problem solving character.

Credits collected for each of the five assessment elements will build a seminar grade of each participant.

Teaching tools

The following teaching tools are foreseen:

1. a seminar reader containing digitalized versions of study materials that will be made available to the seminar participants;

2. online info-session before the proper serious of meetings starts for distributing tasks;

3. in-class traditional meetings;

4. muliti-media materials joint watching and analysis;

5. PPT-type presentations;

6. paper-based and brainstorming-oriented group tasks;

7. individual (in-person and online) consultations offered by a teacher to the students.

Office hours

See the website of Jaroslaw Janczak