The course explores and evaluates political, economic and social changes in Central and Eastern European states and the Baltic states (further CEEBS region) since 1989. The course consists of four thematic parts. The first part introduces general – geographical, historical and cultural characteristics of the region and the states situated in it. The second part of the course addresses the collapse of the Socialist bloc and the ways that it affected CEEBS region. Special attention is devoted to the events that took place in the Baltic states. The third part of the course tackles political and economic reforms and their outcomes across the countries in the CEEBS region. The last part addresses the impact of the Russia’s invasion in Ukraine on the politics of countries of the CEEBS region and concludes. Starting from Class 2, students will present a topic of a class.
The understanding of the political, economic and social dynamics across the CEEBS region and within the EU will be achieved through the assigned reading materials, class discussions, and team-based or individual oral presentations prepared by the students.