Eastern Europe: An Out-of-Fashion Idea?

Course Description

In this course, we will discuss whether the concept of Eastern Europe as a distinct geopolitical and cultural region has now outlived its use. In order to do justice to a question as complex as this, we will first explore the history of this region to better understand how and why this term came into prominence in the first place. In particular, we will consider issues such as:

* How did forces unleashed by the revolutions of 1848, also known as the Spring of the Nations, give rise to a nationalism that sculpted its cultural communities?

* How did the demise of empires and the idea that people should govern themselves change the political landscape of the area?

* How did the cataclysmic events of two world wars and the rise of the USSR contribute to these countries’ characteristics? 

* How did spontaneous migrations or forced population displacements change the character and ideology of individual national entities?

* How did the cultures of these nations create a perception of being “other”?

With this background, we will then consider how political events and the forces of globalization in the past half century have pushed nations to reach agreements and find paths for common action and assistance (for example, NATO and the EU). To what extent has this contributed to cooperation between all European nations; and has this, consequently, rendered obsolete the idea of Eastern Europe as separate from the rest of the continent? 

To supplement our discussions, we will read various articles, short stories, and a novel, from authors such as Czesław Miłosz, Dubravka Ugrešić, Ivo Andrić, and others. We will also watch the film Green Border by Agnieszka Holland.  

Course Details