85505 - History of Eastern Europe, Nation-Building and Protection of Minorities

Learning outcomes

The course aims at offering a challenging approach to the major forces instrumental in the shaping of politics, society and culture in Eastern Europe in the XIX and XX centuries. The research focus includes the analysis of the following areas:  The rise of the Nation-State in Eastern Europe  National Majorities and Minorities in Eastern Europe  Self-determination in Soviet and post-Soviet Times: Drawing National Borders  Post-Soviet conflicts: Grey areas and De-facto States At the end of the course, students have basic knowledge and critical skills in the above mentioned research areas, and they are ready to undertake scientific researches on the contemporary social and political dynamics characterizing Eastern European countries.

Course contents

 

The course will focus on contemporary history of Eastern Europe, following the sociopolitical and cultural changes of its 20th and 21st centuries. The introductory approach is through questioning conceptualizations of symbolic geographies that have created the geo-historical categories of Eastern/Western, Central and Southeastern Europe themselves, and their implications for potential critical readings of political and cultural history of these regions. The theoretical framework of the course will draw on the theories of nation and state building as well as the contextualization of minority protection in the complex histories of Eastern Europe. Additional thematic concerns will regard the dynamics of nationalism, ethnic belonging, border changes and conflicts, migration, language and identities.

The course work will draw on three major conceptual approaches (symbolic geographies of Eastern Europe, nation and state building, and the protection of minorities) to follow their implication for the history of this space. Special focus will be on the history of Central and Southeastern Europe, while a parallel thread will follow the history of the USSR and of post-Soviet countries. Each lesson is intended to bring together theoretical and historical reading with a close reading of chosen primary source(s) or of especially relevant secondary sources. Some lessons will also include viewing of parts of selected documentary films and their discussion.

Course outline

Lesson 1

Introduction to the course - Symbolic geography of Eastern Europe

Introductory texts:

Wolff, Larry. Introduction. In: Inventing Eastern Europe: The map of civilization on the mind of the Enlightenment. Stanford University Press, 1994. Pp. 1-17. Available at: https://books.google.it/books?hl=it&lr=&id=JHm2c1jg2mAC&oi=fnd&pg=PR1&dq=larry+wolff+inventing+eastern+europe&ots=dbyDfnzDGy&sig=gQxnz1VHI9hV_ebcl8zuE4xt6eI&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=larry%20wolff%20inventing%20eastern%20europe&f=false

In-class work: The Prokudin-Gorskii Photographic Record (see Virtuale).

Excerpts from a documentary film, discussion and group work.

Lesson 2: Eastern Europe at the turn of the 20th century

Introductory reading: Florian Bieber. 1, Introduction. In: Debating Nationalism: The Global Spread of Nations, Bloomsbury Academic, 2020. Pp. 1-21. Partially available at: https://books.google.it/books?id=Kt7FDwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&hl=it&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

Additional possible readings: Hobsbawm, Eric. Introduction: Inventing traditions. In: (E. Hobsbawm and Terence Ranger, eds). The invention of tradition. Cambridge University Press, 2012. Pp. 1-15. Available at: https://books.google.it/books?hl=it&lr=&id=IckLAQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=hobsbawm+invention+of+tradition&ots=9kVchOGgfA&sig=xkpZusJ9QCT1xA0n3EI00_tSFJg&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=hobsbawm%20invention%20of%20tradition&f=false

OR

Anderson, Benedict. Introduction. In: Imagined communities: Reflections on the origin and spread of nationalism. Verso, 1983. Pp. 1-9.

In class analysis: Excerpts from the Nation-building in SEE Workbook (see Virtuale for primary sources).

Lesson 3

History of Eastern Europe through the lens of theories of nation and state-building

Preparation for this lesson consists in viewing one of suggested films at home (see Outline for Lessons uploaded to Virtuale).

Introductory reading: Florian Bieber. Chapter 3: The spread of nationalism and nation-states in Europe. In: Debating Nationalism: The Global Spread of Nations, Bloomsbury Academic, 2020. Pp. 35-67.

OR 
Bianchini, Stefano. Development and backwardness: the social origins of Eastern European politics. In: Eastern Europe and the challenges of modernity, 1800-2000. Routledge, 2015. Pp. 25-42. Available at: https://books.google.it/books?id=bl_rBgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=stefano+bianchini+eastern+europe&hl=it&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=stefano%20bianchini%20eastern%20europe&f=false

Potential presentation: J. Smith. Introduction: the prison-house of nations. In: Red Nations: The Nationalities Experience in and after the USSR, Cambridge University Press, 2013. Pp. 1-17. Available at: https://issuu.com/cambridge.org.uk/docs/red_nations

Lesson 4

Modernity in Eastern Europe, revolution, WWI, civil wars

Preparation for this lesson consists in viewing one of suggested documentary films at home (See Outline uploaded to Virtuale for film suggestions).

If possible, also read: Bianchini, Stefano. Chapter 2: Capitalism or rural socialism? The dilemmas of renewal in Russia and the Balkans, pp. 42-64.

Potential presentation: J. Smith. Chapter 2: Dispersal and reunion: revolution and civil war in the borderlands. In: Red Nations: The Nationalities Experience in and after the USSR, Cambridge University Press, 2013. Pp. 17-53. Partially available at: https://books.google.it/books?id=gfJ4AAAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&hl=it&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

Lesson 5

Protection of minorities after the end of the empires

Introductory text: Mazower, Mark. Chapter 2: Empires, Nations, Minorities. In: Dark continent: Europe's twentieth century. Vintage Books, 1998. Pp.41-76.

 In Class analysis: Lenin "On the question of nationalities” (see Virtuale for primary sources).

Potential presentation: J. Smith. Chapter 3: Bolshevik nationality policies and the formation of the USSR: the Bolsheviks dispute national policy. In: Red Nations: The Nationalities Experience in and after the USSR, Cambridge University Press, 2013. Pp. 53-73. (see Virtuale)

Lesson 6

Social, economic and political consequences of the WWI

Introductory text: Bianchini, Stefano. Chapter 3: The “peasant state”: ideology and politics of agrarian movements in Central-Eastern Europe between the two world wars. In: Eastern Europe and the challenges of modernity, 1800-2000. Routledge, 2015. Pp. 64-85.

Potential presentation: J. Smith. Chapter 4: Nation building the Soviet way. In: Red Nations: The Nationalities Experience in and after the USSR, Cambridge University Press, 2013. Pp. 73-97.

 

Lesson 7

Politics in the interwar period in Eastern Europe

Preparation for this lesson consists in viewing one film at home (See Outline uploaded to Virtuale for film suggestions).

In-class work: Covenant of the League of Nations (see Virtuale); excerpts from the Nation-building in SEE Workbook 1 (see Virtuale for primary sources).

Excerpts from a documentary film (League of Nations - see Virtuale Outline for links).

Possible elective reading: J. Smith. Chapter 5: Surviving the Stalinist Onslaught, 1928-1941. In: Red Nations: The Nationalities Experience in and after the USSR, Cambridge University Press, 2013. Pp. 97-121.

Lesson 8

WWII and its consequences on minorities

Introductory text: J. Smith. Chapter 6: The Great Patriotic War and after. In: Red Nations: The Nationalities Experience in and after the USSR, Cambridge University Press, 2013. Pp. 122-147.

Potential presentation: Antonio Ricci. From Asylum “in History'' to Asylum in “International Law''. In: Undesired guests. The Right of asylum 70 years after the Un Refugee Convention. Idos, Rome. Pp. 57-70.

In Class analysis: the UN Charter (see Virtuale for primary sources).

 

Lesson 9

Post-WWII in Eastern Europe and the Cold War starting

Introductory text: Mazower, Mark. Chapter 7: A Brutal Peace, 1943-49. In: Dark continent: Europe's twentieth century. Vintage Books, 1998. Pp. 212- 250.

Potential presentation: J. Smith. Chapter 7: Deportations. In: Red Nations: The Nationalities Experience in and after the USSR, Cambridge University Press, 2013. Pp. 147-163.

In Class discussion: Excerpts from the Cold War workbook.

Lesson 10

The Cold War - from 1950s to 1970s

Introductory text: J. Smith. Chapter 9: Destalinisation and the revival of the republics. In: Red Nations: The Nationalities Experience in and after the USSR, Cambridge University Press, 2013. Pp. 189-216.

If you have time, also: J. Smith. Chapter 10: Stability and national development: the Brezhnev years, 1964-1982. In: Red Nations: The Nationalities Experience in and after the USSR, Cambridge University Press, 2013. Pp. 189-216.

In Class discussion: the Cold War workbook (on NAM, and on Albania); the Aral Sea IFAS reports (see Virtuale for primary sources).

 

Lesson 11

From 'real socialism' to the dissolutions

Introductory text: Bianchini, Stefano. Chapter 6: Between otherness and globalization: “real socialism”, modernity and Gorbachev. In: Eastern Europe and the challenges of modernity, 1800-2000. Routledge, 2015.Pp. 150-188.

Preparation for this lesson consists in viewing one documentary film at home (See Outline uploaded to Virtuale for film suggestions).

Potential presentation: Florian Bieber. Chapter 6: Ethnic conflict. In: Debating Nationalism: The Global Spread of Nations, Bloomsbury Academic, 2020. Pp. 129-159.

and

J. Smith. Chapter 12: Nation-making in the post-Soviet states. In: Red Nations: The Nationalities Experience in and after the USSR, Cambridge University Press, 2013. Pp. 282-322.

 

 

In Class discussion: the Dayton Peace Agreement; also last primary sources from Workbook 1 (see Virtuale for primary sources).

Lesson 12

Post-communist transitions in new East Europe

 

Preparation for this lesson consists in viewing one documentary film at home (See Outline uploaded to Virtuale for film suggestions).

 

Introductory reading: Sabrina Ramet and Peter Wagner. Post-socialist models of rule in Central and Southeastern Europe. In: Ramet, Sabrina P., and Christine M. Hassenstaab (eds.). Central and Southeast European politics since 1989. CUP, 2019. Pp. 26-57. In part available at: https://books.google.it/books?id=r9GoDwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&hl=it#v=onepage&q&f=false .

Lesson 13

Beyond nationalism, new nationalisms, new minorities in Eastern Europe

Introductory reading: Introduction and discussion of “Borderland” and Krasnogruda. In: Golubiewski, Mikolaj, Joanna Kulas, and Krzysztof Czyżewski, eds. A Handbook of Dialogue: Trust and Identity. Wydawnictwo Pogranicze, 2011. Pp. 3-14; 390-397 (see Virtuale).

If possible, read also: Florian Bieber. Chapter 7: Migration and the Politics of Diversity. In: Debating Nationalism: The Global Spread of Nations, Bloomsbury Academic, 2020. Pp. 159-187.

In Class analysis: environmental activism (hydro plants on Balkans’ last wild rivers); Economist Democracy Index summary for 2025; new minorities (LGBT, ethnic, linguistic minorities), migration, social movements - ILGA or Ethnologue reports.

Lesson 14

Understanding contemporary Eastern Europe

Introductory reading: Minority Rights Group International report (choose 1, at: https://minorityrights.org/regions/central-eastern-europe/ )

In-class work: Freedom House World Democracy report 2025 (https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world ); Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index: https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2024

Wrapping up the course, and discussing research paper topics and issues

 

Readings/Bibliography

NB: An important consideration, especially for non-attending students who might be away from Unibo library resources, is to organize to have access to mandatory books in time. On Virtuale I have uploaded as much as possible under the Italian law's equivalent of fair use. The books are available in the Central Ravenna University library as well as other campuses' libraries (also via Interlibrary loan service).

However, if you have serious problems in accessing the mandatory books, please write me an email. This should not be the main challenge of this course! The idea is that you read one good history of the 20th century of the Soviet/post-Soviet space, and another good history that follows (post-)socialist East Central Europe or the Balkans (rare are the books that manage to do both). So only in case you cannot manage to find the 3 course books suggested, look at alternatives that you can have access to, and contact me about them.

 

For attending students:

Compulsory Readings (choose 2 books):

Bianchini, Stefano. Eastern Europe and the challenges of modernity, 1800-2000. Routledge, 2015.

Florian Bieber, Debating Nationalism: The Global Spread of Nations, Bloomsbury Academic, 2020.

Jeremy Smith, Red Nations: The Nationalities Experience in and after the USSR, Cambridge University Press, 2013.

 

Source material analyzed during lessons from (available on Virtuale):

Neven Budak and Alexei Kalionski. The Cold War. Chapter II: The Cold War. CDRSEE, Thessaloniki, 2016.

MIRELA-LUMINIŢA MURGESCU (ed.), Nations and States in Southeast Europe. CDRSEE, Thessaloniki, 2009.

Valery Kolev and Christina Koulouri (eds.), The Balkan Wars. CDRSEE, Thessaloniki, 2009.

 

For non-attending students:

NB: An important consideration, especially for non-attending students who might be away from Unibo library resources, is to organize to have access to mandatory books in time.

Compulsory Readings (choose 2 books):

Bianchini, Stefano. Eastern Europe and the challenges of modernity, 1800-2000. Routledge, 2015.

Florian Bieber, Debating Nationalism: The Global Spread of Nations, Bloomsbury Academic, 2020.

Jeremy Smith, Red Nations: The Nationalities Experience in and after the USSR, Cambridge University Press, 2013.

 

Non-attending students should also choose 1 elective book from the following (and prepare 3-4 chapters from it):

Benvenuti, Francesco. Russia oggi. Carocci, 2014.

Czyżewski, Krzysztof (ed). A Handbook of Dialogue: Trust and Identity. Wydawnictwo Pogranicze, 2011.

Hroch, Miroslav. European Nations: Explaining their Formation. Verso Books, 2015.

Martin, Terry. The affirmative action empire: Nations and nationalism in the Soviet Union, 1923–1939. Cornell University Press, 2018.

Mazower, Mark. Dark continent: Europe's twentieth century. Vintage Books, 1998.

Ramet, Sabrina P., and Christine M. Hassenstab, eds. Central and southeast European politics since 1989. Cambridge University Press, 2019.

Timothy Snyder. Bloodlands: Europe between Hitler and Stalin. New York: Basic Books, 2010.

 

Source material analyzed during lessons from (Available on Virtuale; prepare several selected sections for the oral exam):

Neven Budak and Alexei Kalionski. The Cold War. CDRSEE, Thessaloniki, 2016.

MIRELA-LUMINIŢA MURGESCU (ed.), Nations and States in Southeast Europe. CDRSEE, Thessaloniki, 2009.

Valery Kolev and Christina Koulouri (eds.), The Balkan Wars. CDRSEE, Thessaloniki, 2009.

Teaching methods

Introductory lectures, seminar work, presentations, student course work and group discussions, individual student presentations of the topic of their research paper.

If you can, bring a laptop to classes, for in-class work.

Be informed that the use of generative artificial intelligence for course assignments is considered a form of plagiarism.

Assessment methods

Assessment methods for attending students

The grade for the course will take into account class participation of a student, which together with one in-class presentation (or alternatively, one reaction paper) will amount to 30% of the final grade.

The intermediary step before submitting the research paper for the final exam is the writing of a book summary (or, if preferred, a synopsis). This book ‘synopsis’ corresponds to one of the 2 books chosen by the student for this exam. The book ‘synopsis’ deals with all of the book chapters that were not discussed in class (either as mandatory reading for lessons or as a presentation). This assignment is approximately 2 pages (500 words). Within the book ‘synopsis’, each chapter overview is around a paragraph and is guided by a (research) question - this method and other clarifications will be talked about in class in detail.

The 70% of the final grade will depend on a research paper submitted by the student. The paper should be on a topic agreed upon with the lecturer, of around 2000 words, and combining theoretical and historical debates discussed in the course together with the student’s original research on the chosen research question.

It is advisable to prepare the book ‘synopsis’ before starting to work on the research paper and upoad it to Virtuale at any time when you are ready. Instead, the final research paper is to be submitted via the Compilatio link (provided by the teacher) at the time of the exam date.

An outline of the assessment steps:

• verbal assessment and class participation (30%, combined in-class work and 1 presentation)

• intermediary step (to be completed before writing the paper): read the 2 mandatory exam books (of your choice out of 3) and upload 1 short book synopsis to Virtuale

• final exam: submit a research paper (70% of the final grade)

All the written assignments are preferably written without the use of generative AI - in the course I hope that the students will use and practice their reading, analysis and writing muscles. In accordance with the Unibo guidelines, if you do use such tools, please acknowledge it with a short statement (https://www.unibo.it/en/university/statute-standards-strategies-and-reports/artificial-intelligence/citation-and-transparency ). This of course will influence the grade. Undeclared GenAI use might lead to more serious consequences - such as, for example, a required rewrite of texts or if needed, the retake of the exam as an oral exam.

To sum up, the written assignments will go through both Compilatio (i.e. Unibo preferred originality check), and through GenAI-use detection check, if needed. This is intended as a clear commitment to reading books, note-taking, and writing with the help of one’s own work. A good paper does not have to be perfect but it has to contain your voice.

Assessment methods for non-attending students

For non-attending students, the grade will consist of 50% on a research paper, and 50% on an oral exam (or alternatively on 3 book synopses), based upon 3 mandatory readings for non-attending students and additional primary sources (available on Virtuale). The paper should be on a topic agreed upon with the lecturer, of around 2000 words, and combining theoretical and historical debates dealt with in the course together with the student’s original research on the chosen research question. Please submit the paper at least 3-4 days before the exam session deadline, so to be able to organize the oral exam, if needed.

The oral exam will be based on six questions (two questions per each of three books required) aimed to get an insight into most important debates covered by the course and evaluate student’s critical thinking and verbal expression applied to the course subject matter. Alternatively, the student may choose to submit 3 book synopses based on 3 required books for this exam. The book ‘synopsis’ analyzes the book chapters of each of the 3 books, and is approximately 2 pages (500 words). In this case, upload the 3 synopsis on Virtuale before the exam deadline.

All the written assignments are preferably written without the use of generative AI - in the course I hope that the students will use and practice their reading, analysis and writing muscles. In accordance with the Unibo guidelines, if you do use such tools, please acknowledge it with a short statement (https://www.unibo.it/en/university/statute-standards-strategies-and-reports/artificial-intelligence/citation-and-transparency ). This of course will influence the grade. Undeclared GenAI use might lead to more serious consequences -  such as, for example, a required rewrite of texts or if needed, the retake of the exam as an oral exam.

To sum up, the written assignments will go through both Compilatio (i.e. Unibo preferred originality check), and through GenAI-use detection check, if needed. This is intended as a clear commitment to reading books, note-taking, and writing with the help of one’s own work. A good paper does not have to be perfect but it has to contain your voice.

The established grading criteria are as follows:

The ability of the student to achieve a coherent and comprehensive understanding of the topics addressed by the course, to critically assess them and to use an appropriate language will be evaluated with the highest and beey good grades.
A predominantly mnemonic acquisition of the course's contents together with gaps and deficiencies in terms of language, critical and/or logical skills will result in grades ranging from good to satisfactory.

A low level of knowledge of the course’s contents together with gaps and deficiencies in terms of language, critical and/or logical skills will be considered as ‘barely passing' (D = 18-20) or result in a fail grading (F).

Teaching tools

Audio and video materials, additional textual documents and maps, media analysis.

Students with a form of disability or specific learning disabilities (DSA) who are requesting academic adjustments or compensatory tools are invited to communicate their needs to the teaching staff in order to properly address them and agree on the appropriate measures with the competent bodies.

Office hours

See the website of Sanja Kajinic