KUL-12756

Łukasz Mikołajewski
European clashes: continuities and ruptures
6/9 ECTS
Seminar (in-person sessions): MES: Central Area Culture// MES: Central Area Politics // MES: WPM
3: Migration, Ethnizität, Ethnozentrismus // MES: WPM 5: Kultur, Geschichte & Gesellschaft in Europa
Seminar start: 16.04.2021 Fr, 9:15 - 10:45 am, location: GD 05

The aim of this seminar is to read and discuss academic texts and literary essays that deal with some of the key political clashes within Europe. More specifically, clashes within the EU and non-EU European countries that were, to a large extent, ignored in the 1990s and early 2000s for the sake of swift EU integration but which have now returned in force: the issues connected to gender and women’s reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, and sexual education; the relation between state and religion; various policies towards refugees and conflicting concepts of the nation state and European federalism; and questions related to the shared currency of the euro. What is the historical background and context of the current political clashes within the EU and neighboring countries? Where do they come from? How do various social scientists and political thinkers suggest we could solve the present conundrum of the trembling and shaky EU? During the semester we will also explore some of the previous ruptures in Europeanist discourses, connected to the legacies of European colonialism, antisemitism, and elitism: how do those legacies live on nowadays in various parts of the continent?

Literature: To be announced at the beginning of the seminar.
Notes for the seminar: Registration until 11.04.21 via: whk-polnische-Gastdozentur@europa-uni.de
Further information can be found here: https://moodle.europa-uni.de/course/view.php?id=9397
Assessment: 6 ECTS active class participation, one seminar paper about a reading (10 pages) and presentation; 9 ECTS active class participation, a longer seminar paper (20 pages).
Language: English

KUL-12757

Łukasz Mikołajewski
Europe, West and East: history, sociology and anthropology of a division
6/9 ECTS
Lecture (in-person sessions): MES: Central Arrea Culture // MES: WPM 5: Kultur, Geschichte & Gesellschaft in Europa
Lecture start: 14.04.2021 Mi, 2 - 4 pm, location: GD Hs7

The aim of this course – taught through lectures, with elements of research workshops – is to explore the cultural, political and economic history of Europe’s division into West and East. Together with other similar concepts of spatial division that marked the history of the continent (such as the concept of the Balkans, Mitteleuropa and Central Europe), the course will present academic literature on the topic (including Said, Wolff, Todorova, Berend, Wallerstein) and different methodologies of researching it. We will also reflect on the relevance of such divisions and concepts today, taking into consideration various theories of mental mapping, prejudices and stereotypes (Gilman, Allport, Young-Bruehl, Tokarska-Bakir). Part of the course will be devoted to a discussion of selected texts: travelogues and autobiographies written by writers and travelers in the 20-th century (Döblin, Miłosz, Kundera, Drakulić), and writing by the students themselves.

Literature: To be announced at the beginning of the seminar.
Notes for the lecture: Registration until 11.04.21 via: whk-polnische-Gastdozentur@europa-uni.de
Further information can be found here: https://moodle.europa-uni.de/course/view.php?id=9396
Assessment: 6 ECTS active class participation, two short papers/travelogues (both 4-5 pages), a short presentation on a reading; 9 ECTS active class participation, a short presentation on a reading, seminar paper (20 pages).
Language: English

Elżbieta Opiłowska

Seminar: Transformation of Polish society after 1989

6/9 ECTS

The aim of the seminar is to discuss the main changes in Polish society after the fall of communism regarding social structures, changes in values and social attitudes, increase of nationalism and populism in the last years and the condition of civil society including the phenomenon of new social movements (e.g. black Friday). Students will study the most important phenomena and processes taking place in various spheres of social life in contemporary Poland as well as sociological categories of description and analysis of these phenomena. The year 1989 was an important turning point, although the longue durée perspective will also be implemented in order to explain the current processes by referring to historical factors.

Literature: Will be announced at the beginning of the seminar.

Assessment: 6 ECTS active class participation, a discussion paper (presentation) on the selected reading and research paper (term paper, 12 pages); 9 ECTS active class participation, a discussion paper (presentation) on the selected reading and research paper (term paper, 25 pages).

Language: English

Elżbieta Opiłowska

Lecture: German-Polish relations in multidimensional perspective (1945-2020)

6/9 ECTS

German-Polish history represents an interesting case study for the study of bilateral relations in Europe. War and reconciliation, expulsion and new beginnings, enforced friendship and partnership are just a few pairs of words that reflect different facets of bilateral relations. The lecture gives an overview of the development of German-Polish relations from 1945 to the present. The most important turning points in bilateral history will be analysed from the perspective of both major politics and social contacts. Furthermore, the central concepts for the study of bilateral relations in Europe such as reconciliation, rapprochement, community of interest, neighbourhood and embedded bilateralism will be critically reflected. The lecture will include some participatory elements, such as discussion, group work and critical evaluation of data.

Literature: E. Opiłowska, K. Ruchniewicz, M. Zybura (eds.) (2012), Kreisau and Verdun. Paths to German-Polish and German-French Reconciliation and their Symbols in Collective Memory, Osnabrück: fibre; D. Bingen et al. (eds.) (2012), Adult Neighbourhood. German-Polish relations 1991 to 2011, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag; B. Kerski, K. Ruchniewicz, S, Stekel (eds.) (2019), Facets of Neighbourhood. Contributions to the history of German-Polish relations, Berlin: dpgbv.

Assessment: Written exam 6 ECTS; term paper (25 pages) 9 ECTS.
Language: German