This course introduces students to the major political-economic developments in Central and Eastern Europe from the end of the Second World War to the present, with an emphasis on the fall of communism and the events that came thereafter. Students will acquire a broad understanding of how the countries of Central and Eastern Europe developed over the course of the 20th Century; the successes, failures and dilemmas of the post-communist transitions; and the diversity of political and economic responses to the massive changes brought about by the revolutions of 1989, EU enlargement, and integration into the global economy. Over the course of the semester, we will cover material that addresses both the developments of the region in general as well as specific cases that highlight changes in individual countries, with particular focus on the new EU member states.
The goal of the course is to provide students with a foundational understanding of the roots of present-day socio-economic and political challenges, and to enable them to analyze how domestic and international factors have shaped and continue to influence the political economy of the region. Finally, a practical objective of the course is to help students prepare for the comprehensive examination in contemporary European political economy. It is not a complete guide to the examination and students are strongly encouraged to prepare themselves further with detailed knowledge of the country cases and of Europe as a whole. However, the course does cover some of the fundamental elements of the examination. (Cross listed European & Eurasian Studies/International Development/International Political Economy)
