Recommended literature:

Bavoľár, J., Ferjenčík, J., & Kačmár, P. (2021). Pokročilé štatistické metódy v behaviorálnych a sociálnych vedách. Košice: UPJŠ v Košiciach Vydavateľstvo ŠafárikPress.

Crump, M. J. C., & Navarro, D. J. (2018). Answering questions with data: Introductory statistics for psychology students. Retrieved from https://crumplab.github.io/statistics/

Navarro, D. J., & Foxcroft, D. R. (2018). Learning statistics with jamovi: A tutorial for psychology students and other beginners. Danielle J. Navarro and David R. Foxcroft. https://doi.org/10.24384/HGC3-7P15

Richardson, P., & Machan, L. (2021). Jamovi for psychologists. London: Macmillan International Higher Education.

Rychkova, E., & Vitug, M. (2019). Statistical testing with jamovi and JASP open-source software: Sociology (C. Davis, Ed.). Norwich: Vor Press.

Strunk, K. K., & Mwavita, M. (2021). Design and analysis in educational research using Jamovi: ANOVA designs. London: Routledge.

Conditions for passing the course:

The course is evaluated continuously during the semester and does not contain a final exam. The course consists of 10 weekly assignments, 4 tests, and 1 final assignment. Students are obliged to read the prescribed literature before each lecture/seminar. Students work individually in the statistical program Jamovi. The final assignment is a synthesis of the procedures and methods explained and applied throughout the semester and simulates the preparation of a data analysis research report.

Evaluation criteria:

• 10 weekly assignments (1 assignment = 3 points) = 30 points

• 4 tests (1 test = 6 points) = 24 points

• 1 final assignment = 46 points

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx: 0-59 points

Course contents:

1. Introduction, Jamovi installation; 2. Data Management I.; 3. Data Management II.; 4. Descriptive statistics; 5. Data Distribution 6. Data Visualization; 7. Associations; 8. Hypothesis testing; 9. Linear regression; 10. Reading week; 11. Model Diagnostics.; 12. Putting all together; 13. Final assignment

Learning outcomes:

Students will understand basic theoretical concepts in statistics and acquire practical skills to utilize quantitative research methods and analyze quantitative data in social science research. Students will be able to apply basic procedures in data management and investigate and visualize the data, test null hypothesis, compute associations and regressions, and interpret Jamovi outputs. As a result of completing Basics of Statistics for Social Sciences, students will know how to apply quantitative research methods in their seminar or bachelor’s theses, as well as in professional life in the future.

Type, scope, and method of educational activities:

Type of activities: lecture/seminar

Recommended range of teaching (in hours):

Weekly: 2/2 During the study period: 26/26

Study method: combined

Recommended literature:

Berger, P., Davie, G., Fokas, E. (2008). Religious America, Secular Europe? A Theme and Variation. New York: Routledge.

Butler, J. (2000). Becoming America: The Revolution Before 1776. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press.

Brinkley, A. (2015). American History: Connecting with the Past, New York: McGraw-Hill.

Clark, Ch., Heweitt, N., Rosenzweig, R. (2008). Who Built America? Working People and the Nation's History. 2 vols. New York: Bedford/St. Martins.

Crothers, L. (2018). Globalization and American Popular Culture. Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.

Gabaccia, D.R. (2012). Foreign Relations: American Immigration in Global Perspective. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.

Huntington, S. (2004). Who Are We?: The Challenges to America's National Identity. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Immigration Policy and Security: U.S., European, and Commonwealth Perspectives (2008). Ed. by Givens, T., Freeman, G.P., Leal, D.L. New York: Routledge.

Katz, M.B., Stern M.J., Fader, J.J. (2005). The New African American Inequality. Journal of American History, 92(1). pp. 75–108.

Schlesinger Jr., A.M. (1999). The Cycles of American History. Boston: Mariner Books.

Shapiro, R.Y. (2011). Public Opinion and American Democracy. Public Opinion Quarterly. 75(5). Pp. 982–1017.

Sidbury, J. (2007). Becoming African in America: Race and Nation in the Early Black Atlantic. New York: Oxford University Press.

Spickard, P. (2007). Almost All Aliens: Immigration, Race, and Colonialism in American History and Identity. New York: Routledge.

To Make Our World Anew: A History of African Americans (2005). Ed. by Kelley, R.D., Lewis, E. 2 vols. New York: Oxford University Press.

Walt, S.M. (2011). The Myth of American Exceptionalism. Foreign Policy, (October 11). pp. 72-75.

Wiebe, R.H. (1995). Self-Rule: A Cultural History of American Democracy. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Learning outcomes:

As a result of completing the course "American Studies", students will be able to apply the inter-disciplinary approach to the analysis of concepts, methods, and technologies pertinent to research in the field of American history, politics, society, and culture. Moreover, they will be able to evaluate the ways in which the historical development of political, social and cultural structures of the United States may impact current political, social, and cultural issues: civil society and democracy, migration and race relations, multiculturalism and national identity. The students will also be able to develop their skills in using different academic sources for building their arguments and presenting them in front of the audience.

Course contents:

1. Introduction to American Studies

2. History of the United States from Colonial Rule to Independence: the Genesis of the American Nation

3. The Transformation of the American Nation: Industrialization, Urbanization, Immigration, and Western Expansion in the Gilded-Age

4. The American Empire at the turn of the 19th – 20th centuries: Challenges and Reforms

5. The United States from War to War: Prosperity, Depression, and World War II

6. The United States and the Cold War: the Age of Alliance and Atomic Diplomacy

7. The United States in the Post-Cold War Era: the Global Terrorism and Humanitarian Intervention

8. The Underpinnings of American Democracy and Civil Society

9. Immigrants and Immigration as U.S. History

10. African American History and Race Relations

11. The Multicultural Nation: National, Ethnic and Religious Identities

12. The Globalization and American Culture

13. Final evaluation

Hodnotenie študentov je založené na kvalite ich práce počas celého kurzu,, zloženej z aktívneho zapojenia sa do diskusie počas vyučovania, prezentácie a písomnej práce.

10% - Aktívna účasť a pripravenosť na vyučovanie

25% - Skupinová prezentácia

30% - Seminárne aktivity

35% - Záverečná práca

Conditions for passing the course:

The choice of the organization in which the student would like to complete the internship is within his /her competence. It is recommended to consult the host organization and the form of the internship with the course coordinator. (MZVaEZ SR internships are determined for master's degree).

The internship in a specific institution (in connection to the field of study) during one semester (summer / winter). The internship must not affect other academic duties.

Students must submit:

• contract with organization

• Internship certificates from the organization specifying the role and time frame

• report (at least A4) on the internship itself (experience gained, importance for studying or writing theses)

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx: 0-59 points

Learning outcomes:

Students will gain practical experience from the application of acquired theoretical and scientific knowledge in their field of study. Variety of experience is due to various institutions, where they may use their knowledge in specific topic or work with specific information depending on the host institution.

Conditions for passing the course:

The course consists of continuous assessments:

• Work with literature:

- preparation of a "comment" according to a pre-assigned topic (10 points)

Oral presentation once per semester lasting 3-5 minutes

- compulsory literature assignments (13.5 points)

Compulsory reading can be the basis for the seminar assignment and will be part of the final test. During the semester, 5 texts of compulsory reading according to own choice are delivered. The aim is to focus on the main idea of the text and its analysis from the perspective of the student. Due to the diversity of texts, the student is required that the processing is not just a summary of the text read.

- book analysis for a pre-assigned book title (20 points).

The review should be a complex text in which the author maps the content of the publication / film, its context is not only contemporary, but also applied to current events. The students focus critically on contradictory or controversial or omitted "moments" and expresses own opinion.

• activity at seminars (max. 16.5 points) - answers to questions, discussion on the topic of the given compulsory reading or elaboration of a seminar assignment

At the individual seminars, seminar assignments will be processed in various forms, which will be evaluated. Compulsory literature is also a part of the content of seminar assignments

• final test (40 points) - Consists of lectures, seminars and required literature. It takes place during the exam period, it is a part of the ongoing evaluation.

Participation in individual parts of the course is mandatory in accordance with Study Code.

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx: 0-59 points

Slovak/English

Course contents:

1.Development of the political system – historical vision

2. The emergence of an independent "Slovak political system"

3. National Council of the SR

4. System of political parties

5. Executive power in Slovakia - President and Government of the Slovak Republic

6. Judicial bodies of the Slovak Republic

7. The role of the Ombudsman

8. Territorial and administrative division of the Slovak Republic

9. Slovak political system in the European Union

10. Civil society and political culture in Slovakia

11. Visit to the National Council of the Slovak Republic

Learning outcomes:

Students will gain knowledge about the basic elements of the political system of the Slovak Republic, not only from a historical but also contemporary point of view. During the course, students will experience specific application of theoretical background gained in the subject Introduction to Political Science and improve the ability of argumentation based on facts and information, needed to address specific issues of the current situation, the rule of law and democracy via assessments of the course. The knowledge gained during the course will students reflect during the visit of the National Council of the Slovak Republic in a discussion with practicing deputies.

Recommended literature:

Babbie, E. R. (2021). The practice of social research (Fifteenth edition). Boston, MA: Cengage.

Bergstrom, C. T., & West, J. D. (2020). Calling bullshit: The art of skepticism in a data-driven world. New York, NY: Random House.

Bryman, A. (2016). Social research methods (Fifth Edition). Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press.

Crump, M. J. C., & Navarro, D. J. (2018). Answering questions with data: Introductory statistics for psychology students. Retrieved from https://crumplab.github.io/statistics/

Disman, M. (2022). Jak se vyrábí sociologická znalost. Praha: Karolinum.

Findor, A. (2017). Detecting and reducing intergroup bias: Using vignettes in experimental research. A textbook/ Vysokoškolská učebnica. Bratislava: Univerzita Komenského v Bratislave. https://fses.uniba.sk/fileadmin/fsev/uesmv/dokumenty_2017_2018/Textbook_30_1.pdf

Forestiere, C. (2022). Beginning research in political science (Second edition). New York: Oxford University Press.

Halperin, S., & Heath, O. (2020). Political research: Methods and practical skills (Third edition). New York: Oxford University Press.

Howard, C. (2017). Thinking like a political scientist: A practical guide to research methods. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.

Spiegelhalter, D. (2019). The art of statistics: Learning from data. London: Pelican.

Conditions for passing the course:

The course consists of 5 short tests and 10 assignments during the semester and 1 final test assignment at the end of the semester’s teaching period. The necessary precondition for successful undertaking of these assignments, short tests and final assignmenttest is class attendance. Students are not allowed to take tests and submit assignments without being present in the class.

Students will take 5 short tests during the semester at the beginning of the class. These tests will be based on weekly required readings and will consist of 6 single choice questions.

Students are expected to prepare 10 assignments during the semester. In each assignment, they will practice the grasping of elements of the research process including operationalization, formulation of hypothesis, sampling, data description, questionnaire design, hypothesis testing, data analysis, interpretation of results, and open science practices structured in the IMRaD format.

Students will take prepare a final assignmenttest at the end of the semester. Final assignmenttest will be based on weekly required readings and will consist of 30 single choice questions be related to research activities of the course instructor.

Evaluation criteria:

5 short tests (1 short test = 6 questions = 6 points) = 30 points

10 assignments (1 assignment = 4 points) = 40 points

1 final assignmenttest (30 questions) = 30 points

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx: 0-59 points

Slovak and English

Course contents:

1. Introduction to the course; 2. Communicating quantitative research in IMRaD format + (Mis)uses of quantitative data; 3. IMRaD introduction section; 4. IMRaD Methods section 1: Materials and surveys; 5. IMRaD methods section 2: Procedure and experiments; 6. IMRaD methods section 3: Participants; 7. Reading week; 8. IMRaD methods section 4: Quantitative content analysis; 9. IMRaD methods section 5: Analysis of existing data; 10. IMRaD results section: Hypotheses; 12. IMRaD discussion section; 12. Research ethics; 13. Final test assignment + Summary of the course

Learning outcomes:

The course is a practical introduction to understanding quantitative research in political science. Students will learn:

how to comprehend quantitative research structured and presented in IMRaD (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion) format

how to read and interpret research designs, conceptualizations, operationalizations, materials, participants, procedures, and statistical analysis used in surveys, experiments, quantitative content analysis, evaluation research and analysis of existing data

how to defend themselves against misuses of quantitative data

how to distinguish questionable and open science research practices

D. Caramani (ed.), 2020, Comparative Politics (5th edition), Oxford: OUP.

R. Hague, M. Harrop & J. McCormick, 2019, Comparative Government and Politics: An Introduction, 11th edition, Basingstoke: Red Globe Press.

J. Magone, 2019, Contemporary European Politics, 2nd edition, London: Routledge.

P.H. O’Neil, 2020, Essentials of Comparative Politics, 7th edition, New York & London: Norton.

To complete the course a minimal mark of 60% is necessary. For the mark A, 91% is necessary; for B, 81%; for C, 73%; for D, 66% and for E at least 60%. 59% or below is a fail (FX).

10% participation, 20% weekly tests, 20% presentation, 50% Final test during the examination period

The syllabus is available in MS Teams.

1. Introduction: Why compare political systems?. 2. Methods and challenges in comparative politics. 3. States and nations (characteristics of states). 4. Democratic and non-democratic regimes (definition of democracy, totalitarianism, authoritarianism). 5. Democratisation and revolution (prerequisites of democratisation, the Third Wave, the role of political conflict. 6. Political culture and participation (civil society, political socialisation, electoral participation). 7. Political parties (party systems and party cleavages). 8. Elections and electoral systems (majoritarian and proportions, election rules). 9 Presidentialism and parliamentarianism (division of powers, advantages and disadvantages of the presidential system). 10. Territorial politics (centralisation, federalism, multilevel governance). 11. The limits and challenges of comparative analysis.

The course’s main objective is to give an overview of the most important principles shaping comparative method in political science. The course enables students to understand and interpret the development of political systems and to compare their specific characteristics and how they function. After completing the course, students should be able to analyse the institutional framework of political systems and evaluate factors that contribute to successful democratization.

Carpenter, C., & Drezner, D. W. (2010). International relations 2.0: The implications of new media for an old profession1. International Studies Perspectives, 11(3), 255–272. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1528-3585.2010.00407.x.

Coban, F. (2016). The role of the media in international relations: From the CNN effect to the al –jazeere effect. Journal of International Relations and Foreign Policy, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.15640/jirfp.v4n2a3.

EEAS (2018). EU´s Action Plan against Disinformation. Available at: https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/54866/action-plan-against-disinformation_en.

Hirzalla,F., van de Wijngaert, L. & van Zoonen, L. (2017). Do social media transform journalism? A case study of the Tarik Z Twitter storm. LSE Media and Communication. Available at: https://www.lse.ac.uk/media-and-communications/assets/documents/research/working-paper-series/EWP47.pdf

Jervis, R. (1976). Perception and Misperception in International Politics. Princeton University Press, 464 p. ISBN: 0691100497.

McLuhan, Marshall (2001). Understanding Media. Taylor & Francis Ltd., 400 p. ISBN: 0415253977.

Scheinbaum, M. (2020). Role of Media in International Relations. Cognella Academic Publishing, 176 p. ISBN-10: 151657768X.

The course is based on ongoing assessment and students are encouraged to continuously prepare on lectures

and seminar sessions. Their activity will be further evaluated according to:

- participation on seminars (10 x 4 = 40 points), up to 4 points for active work on seminar(s), which will consist of several real-life case solution workshops, role-play games, and other interactive practical case studies;

- 1st assignment (30 points), in the mid of semester. Form of assignment: an individual project, creating a written, audio, audio-visual content or a social media campaign of a selected public policy issue;

- 2nd assignment (30 points), at the end of semester. Form of assignment: a group project based on media culture or media practice.

-

Students are entitled for 1 re-take of assignments. Students are entitled for maximum 2 absences, which have

to be justified according to Code of Studies.

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx: 0-59 points

Slovak and English

1. Introduction

2. Media in the world

- Leading mass media in the world and their role in shaping IR

- Political influence in the media

- Types of international coverage of foreign policy (European vs. American type of Journalism)

3. Media landscape in Europe, with a focus on Slovakia

- Leading mass media in Europe and their role in shaping European policies

- Leading mass media in Slovakia and their role in shaping Slovak politics

- Being a reporter/journalist in Europe/Slovakia – challenges and opportunities

4. Public Policy and Strategic Communication

- Propaganda vs. governmental news

- Working at the public policy, communication department of MFA

- Strategic communication

5. Media Influencing World Politics

- The power of media

- Changing media landscape, social media and their influence

- Freedom of media

6. Fake news and media credibility

- Fight against “fake news”

- Credibility of sources and journalistic ethics

- Regulation targeting disinformation and its impact worldwide

7. IR Analyses and Commentary in Media

- Roles of political scientist and IR expert in media

- Techniques in writing and speaking for media

- Analytical content creation for media

8. Public speaking

- “Making your point” at a panel discussion or a conference

- Panel creation, organization, and moderation

- Talking to peers vs. talking to general public

9. Covering conflict - Media and Wars, Conflicts, Terrorism

- The conflict in Ukraine: How was it reported on? - A discussion with a war reporter

- Migration Crisis as covered (or not) by media

10. Social media transforming Journalism and International Relations

- ´Twiplomacy´ and Cyber Diplomacy

- Can an influencer influence policies and politics?

- How to create content for social media with IR content?

The course provides an interdisciplinary approach that considers both cultural and political dimensions of media coverage of international relations (IR). It focuses on offering general knowledge and understanding of current media system and particularly its role within foreign policy, theoretical and practical training in media and communications and knowledge of IR.

It also explores the principal elements of creating media content (written, audio, video and for social media) through understanding narrative, and the practical and theoretical relationship between elements that create them. The course shall further provide a foundation in the skills required for effective media project work, covering IR. Moreover, it shall create a greater awareness of tools, such as public diplomacy and soft power, of the role of new media in perceptions of world politics, or the effects of news reporting on government policy and NGO activity.

Students will develop a greater awareness of the complexity and connectedness of the processes on the global politics, and the role of international communication. It shall orient students within main fields of media professions (with a greater focus on Europe and Slovakia), and it will introduce ways in analysing media coverage and media outlets. Partially, the course will – in practical sense – develop an ability of students to communicate in writing, audio or visual format, and in public speaking with a variety of specialist and non-specialist audiences.

• Almond, Gabriel – Verba, Sidney (1963): The Civic Culture: Political Attitudes and Democracy in Five. Nations. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

• Just, Tony Judt: Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945. Final chapter: Epilogue. From the House of the Dead: On Modern European Memory (available also in Slovak translation).

• Lipták, Ľubomír: Storočie dlhšie ako sto rokov. Kalligram 2011.

• Applebaum, Anne: The Leninist Roots of Civil Society Repression. In: Journal of Democracy, October 2015, Volume 26, Number 4, pp. 21-27.

• Fukuyama, F. (1999): Social Capital and Civil Society. Paper prepared for IMF.

• Bennett, W Lance - Steven Livingston (2018): The disinformation order: Disruptive communication and the decline of democratic institutions, in: European Journal of Communication, Vol. 33(2) 122 –139.

• Street, John: Celebrity Politicians: Popular Culture and Political Representation, in: BJPIR: 2004, Vol. 6, 435-452.

• Vanzan, Anna: Veiled Politics: Muslim Women’s Visibility and Their Use in European Countries’ Political Life, in: Social Science, 5, no. 2: 1-21.

• Krastev, Ivan (2007), The Strange Death of the Liberal Consensus, Journal of Democracy 18 (4): 56-63.

• Szomolányi, Soňa – Gál, Zsolt (2016), ´Slovakia´s Elite: Between Populism and Compliance with EU Elites´, in Pakulski, Jan (ed.) The Visegrad Countries in Crisis, Warsaw, Collegium Civitas: 67-86.

Conditions for passing the course:

The course is based on ongoing assessment and students are encouraged to continuously prepare on lectures and seminar sessions. Details

1. To participate in the seminars and to prepare with compulsory readings. (20 points)

2. To write weekly a short written annotation (of 300-350 words) that focuses on 2-3 key ideas of the paper and explain why and how these ideas are relevant, annotations must be submitted 2 days before the class via Moodle. All essential required readings are available in Moodle. Eight out of ten annotations during the semester are required as “absolute minimum”, if it is not met, no points for this segment of the overall grade will be assigned (30 points).

3. Make at least one class presentation (as individual or in team up to 3 students) which should critically analyze the assigned recommended reading for a particular topic (25 points). The presentations are followed by a class discussion and afterwards made accessible to entire class via moodle.

4. To pass written test at the end of the semester summarizing the course´s knowledge. Students are entitled for 1 re-take of the test (25 points).

Students are entitled for maximum 2 absences, which have to be justified according to Code of Studies.

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx: 0-59 points

Course contents:

1. Introduction to the course.

2. What does it mean “political culture”? Key concepts and works.

3. European democratic culture and political culture in Post-Communist Europe.

4. Political Participation.

5. Trust and Social Capital.

6. Political Culture in the Age of Internet.

7. Personalization and Celebritization of Politics.

8. Muslim Women and Their Role, Influence and Participation in European Politics.

9. Politics of Memory.

10. Negative Sides of Democratic Political Culture today.

11. Generations, Subcultures, and their Dynamics.

12. Slovakia´s Political culture: selected periods from 20th century.

13. Concluding class, discussion, feedback.

Learning outcomes:

As a result of participating in European Political Culture course students will be able to use key concepts on analyzing the political culture in all its diversity. Moreover, they will be able to apply analytical methodological tools to deconstruct political cultural phenomenon and to determine relevant factors of political culture developments. They be taught how to apply the knowledge in examining current political events by applying their knowledge as well as critical and contextual thinking.

Furthermore, students will learn how different methodological approached could be applied. During the course most of the topics are explored in the comparative perspective, so the students will be able to understand benefits of comparative analyses. They will also learn how to use different empirical sources for building their arguments when identifying cultural political issues.

Among the topics of the course are also top up-to-date phenomenon like celebritization of politics, social media, impact of pandemics, various subcultures etc.

Thanks to the different types of assignments students will acquire the “soft skills” of understanding and interpreting academic texts, formulating relevant arguments and presenting them in front of the audience.

Recommended literature:

Angell, N. (1911). The Great Illusion: A Study of the Relation of Military Power in Nations to their Economic and Social Advantage (3 ed.), New York and London: G.P. Putnam's & Sons.

Bull, H. (1977). The anarchical society: A study of order in world politics. New York: Columbia University.

Calkivik, A. (2017) Poststructuralism and Postmodernism in International Relations. Oxford University Press <online>

Carr, E. (1946). The twenty years' crisis, 1919-1939: An introduction to the study of international relations. London: Macmillan

Drzner, D. (2014). Theories of International Politics and Zombies. Princeton University Press.

Dunne T., Kurki, M. Smith, S. (eds.) International Relations Theories. Discipline and Diversity. Oxford University Press.

Husenicová, L. Liberalizmus ako teória medzinárodných vzťahov. FPVaMV: Banská Bystrica 2011.

Keohane, R. (1984) After Hegemony: Cooperation and Discord in World Political Economy. Princeton University Press, Chichester, West Sussex

Keohane, R., & Nye, J. (1977). Realism and complex interdependence. In Power and interdependence: World politics in transition. Boston: Little, Brown.

Morgenthau, H. (1978). Politics among nations: the struggle for power and peace (5th ed.) New York: Knopf.

Nye, J. (2004). Soft power: The means to success in world politics. New York: Public Affairs.

Ringmar, E. (2002). The Recognition Game: Soviet Russia Against the West. Cooperation and Conflict. PP. 37 – 115.

Shepherd, L. (eds) Gender Matters in Global Politics: A feminist introduction to International Relations. Routledge.

Viotti, P., & Kauppi, M. (2012). International Relations Theory (Fifth Edition ed.). Longman.

Wallerstein, I. (2000). The Rise and Future Demise of the World Capitalist System/ Essential Wallerstein. In The essential Wallerstein. New York: New Press.

Waltz, K. (1979). Theory of international politics. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley Pub.

Waltz, K. (1964). The Stability of a Bipolar World. Daedalus, 93(3), 881-909.

Wendt, A. Anarchy is what States Make of it: The Social Construction of Power Politics. International Organization, Vol. 46, No. 2.

Williams H. (1996) John Locke and International Politics. In: International Relations and the Limits of Political Theory. Palgrave Macmillan, London

Woodrow, W. The Fourteen Points. Available at https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=false&doc=62&page=transcript

Conditions for passing the course:

15% - Active participation and class preparedness

20% Group presentation

15% Seminar activities

50% Oral Exam

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx: 0-59 points

English

Course contents:

Intro session

International Relations as an Academic Discipline

Idealism and the Foundations of International Relations

Realism: a Critique of Idealism

Neorealism

Neoliberalism

The English School

Marxism in IR

Constructivism

Poststructuralism

Feminist Theories in IR

Methods of inquiry in IR

Final evaluation

Learning outcomes:

The aim of the course is to introduce the students to the study of International Relations (IR). The students will be presented with the discipline’s historical origins, its purpose, its debates, as well as the basic theoretical approaches within the discipline. Upon completion of the course students should be able to analytically apply the main theoretical approaches of IR to current affairs in world politics, and to conduct basic research in IR.

Recommended literature:

Acharya, A. The End of American World Order. Polity Press, 2014

Andrew F. Hart & Bruce D. Jones (2011). How Do Rising Powers Rise?, Survival, 52:6, 63-88

Binyavanga Wainaina: How to write about Africa. Available at: http://www.granta.com/Archive/92/How-to-Write-about-Africa/Page-1)

Bjola, C., Kornprobst, M. (2018) Understanding International Diplomacy - Theory, practice and ethics. New York, NY: Routledge.

Bremmer, I. (2021). The Technopolar Moment. Foreign Affairs. Available at: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/world/2021-10-19/ian-bremmer-big-tech-global-order

Bull, H. (1977). The anarchical society: A study of order in world politics. New York: Columbia University

Cohen, R., Beauchamp-Mustafaga, N. and others (2021). Combating Social Disinformation on Social Media. RAND Corp. Available at: https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR4300/RR4373z1/RAND_RR4373z1.pdf

Deutsch, K., & Singer, J. (1964). Multipolar Power Systems and International Stability. World Politics, 16(3), 390-406. doi:10.2307/2009578

Dreyer, J. (2022). Rare Earths, Scarce Metals, and the Struggle for Supply Chain Security. FPRI. Available at: https://www.fpri.org/article/2022/03/rare-earths-scarce-metals-and-the-struggle-for-supply-chain-security/

Everjoice, Win (2004): “If It Doesn’t Fit on the Blue Square It’s Out!’ An Open Letter to My Donor Friend. In: Groves, Leslie – Rachel, Hinton (ed.): Inclusive Aid. Changing Power and Relationships in International Development. London: Earthscan, pp. 123–127

Harari, Y. (2019). 21 lessons for the 21st century. Vintage.

Kazharski, A. (2019). Do Kremľu a zasa späť. Čo analytici nechápu na „ruskej mäkkej moci“. Blog. Dennik N. Available at: https://dennikn.sk/blog/1760538/do-kremlu-a-zasa-spat-co-analytici-nechapu-na-ruskej-makkej-moci/

Kazharski, A. & Tabosa, C. (2018). New Patterns of Securitization in Central and Eastern Europe. In: R. Q. Turcsányi & M. Vorotnyuk (Eds.): Theorizing Security in the Eastern European Neighbourhood. Bratislava – Kyiv: STRATPOL.

Layne, C. (2012) This Time It’s Real: The End of Unipolarity and the Pax Americana. International Studies Quarterly (2012), 1–11.

Mearsheimer, J. J. (2019). Bound to Fail: The Rise and Fall of the Liberal International Order. International Security 2019; 43 (4).

Tänzler, D., Gordon, N. (2020). The New Geopolitics of a Decarbonizing World. Wilson Center. Available at: https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/new-geopolitics-decarbonizing-world

Walt, M. S. (2022). An International Relations Theory Guide to the War in Ukraine. Foreign Policy. Available at: https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/03/08/an-international-relations-theory-guide-to-ukraines-war/

Walt, M. S. (2021). Big Tech Won’t Remake the Global Order. Foreign Policy. Available at: https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/11/08/big-tech-wont-remake-the-global-order/

Waltz, K. (1964). The Stability of a Bipolar World. Daedalus, 93(3), 881-909.

Wohlforth, W. (1999). The Stability of a Unipolar World. International Security, 24(1), 5-41.

Youngs, R. (2021) Green Democracy in Europe. Carnegie Europe. Available at: https://carnegieeurope.eu/2021/09/23/green-democracy-in-europe-pub-85398

Ziai, Aram (2014). Progressing towards incoherence: Development discourse since the 1980s. Momentum Quarterly. Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 3–14

Conditions for passing the course:

20% - Active participation and class preparedness

30% - Written Assignments

10% Research Proposal

40% - Final Paper

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx: 0-59 points

Course contents:

Introductory session

IR Theories Revised

Power in International Relations

The Rise and Fall of the American-made world order?

The Russian War Against Ukraine and How it Tests the Validity of IR Theories

The Rise or the Hype of “the Rest”?

The Rise of the “Big Tech”

Security of global supply and critical infrastructures

Environmental Issues and International Democratic and Equitable Order

Accelerating decarbonization and boosting energy independence

Disinformation: Destabilizing tool of the weak?

Development and the Post-Development Critique

Research Proposal Consultation

Learning outcomes:

Upon completion of the course, students will have the ability to identify and critically analyze core current issues of international politics. Additionally, students will be able to connect the issues to the knowledge previously acquired in the courses Introduction to International Relations I and II, and to understand these different issues based on different International Relations theories and approaches.

Recommended literature:

Jordan, A., & Gravey, V. (eds.). (2021). Environmental Policy in the EU: Actors, Institutions and Processes (4th ed.). New York: Routledge.

Delbeke, J., & Vis, P. (eds.). (2015). EU Climate Policy Explained. New York: Routledge.

Langlet, D., & Mahmoudi, S. (2016). EU Environmental Law and Policy. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Adelle, C., Biedenkopf, K., & Torney, D. (eds.). (2018). European Union External Environmental Policy: Rules, Regulation and Governance Beyond Borders. Switzerland, Cham: Palgrave Macmillan.

Delreux, T., & Happaerts, S. (2016). Environmental Policy and Politics in the European Union. Palgrave Macmillan.

Conditions for passing the course:

The evaluation of the students in this course is composed of 3 elements combining continuous as well as final preparation of the students.

Active participation on the seminars and fulfillment of seminar assignments – 40%

Final exam – 60%

Any form of plagiarism will automatically result in Fx.

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx: 0-59 points

Course contents:

1. Introductory session – course objectives and requirements

2. Overview of EU environmental and climate policy

3. Environmental and climate legislation in the EU

4. Institutional dimension of environmental and climate policy – the key EU-level actors

5. European Green Deal

6. Environmental policy instruments

7. EU external environmental policy

8. EU in international environmental and climate negotiations (multilateralism and international organisations)

9. Country in focus – Slovak republic

10. Challenges of and critical perspective on EU environmental and climate policy

11. Final session – discussion and reflection on the future of environmental policy-making in the EU

Learning outcomes:

During the course, students will gain knowledge of various aspects of the EU's environmental and climate agenda (such as environmental protection, clean air and water, waste disposal and a sustainable economy). Students will learn about related institutional processes and the EU's role in the international arena in the context of climate and the environment. In the field of EU environmental and climate policy, through exercises, simulations and discussions, students will strengthen their argumentative, critical and analytical thinking, and improve their writing and presentation skills.

Odporúčaná literatúra:

Gruner, Wolf, and Thomas Pegelow Kaplan. Resisting Persecution: Jews and Their Petitions during the Holocaust. New York: Berghahn Books, 2020.

Hilberg, Raul. The Destruction of the European Jews. Vol. III. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003: 766-792.

Kamenec, Ivan, Po stopách tragédie (Bratislava: Premedia 2020)

Kamenec, Ivan, “Changes in the Attitudes of the Slovak Population Regarding the So-Called Solution to t the ‘Jewish Question’ (1938-1945),” Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe. Vol. 40: Iss. 7, Article 4.

K

Kubátová, Hana. “Accusing and Demanding: Denunciations in Wartime Slovakia.” In Lessons and Legacies Volume XIII: New Approaches to an Integrated History of the Holocaust: Social History, Representation, Theory, 92–111. Evanston: Northwestern University Press, 2018.

Lȏnčiková, Michala. “Was the Antisemitic Propaganda a Catalyst for Tensions in the Slovak-Jewish Relations?” Holocaust Studies 23, no. 1–2 (2017): 76–98.

Nižňanský, Eduard. “Perceptions of the Holocaust in Slovak Historiography.” In United in Diversity: Contemporary European Jewry in an Interdisciplinary Perspective, edited by Marcela Menachem Zoufalá and Olag Glöckner, 62:7–50. Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter, 2023.

Pegelow Kaplan, Thomas. “Reinterpreting Jewish Petitioning Practices during the Shoah: Contestation, Transnational Space, and Survival.” The Journal of Holocaust Research 35, no. 4 (2021): 306-25.

Salner, Peter. “The Holocaust in Slovakia: The Deportation of 1942 through the Prism of Oral History.” Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe. Vol. 42: Iss. 5, Article 3.

Vrzgulová, Monika. “Memories of the Slovak Bystanders” 23 (1-2) (Holocaust Studies).

Ward, James Mace. “People Who ‘Deserve’ It: Jozef Tiso and the Presidential Exemption. Nationalities Papers 30, no. 4 (2002): 571–601.

The course will consist of a series of reading assignments, classroom discussions, 5 quizzes, and a final oral presentation at the end of the teaching period of the semester. Class attendance is the necessary precondition for success in this class (maximum three absences, missing more than 15 minutes of class is considered an absence). All testing is administered in the classroom.

Students will have five quizzes based on their reading assignments, which will consist of five to ten questions plus a short essay question which should demonstrate familiarity with the reading material. Students will receive a packet on week 2 of the semester consisting of a petition addressed to Jozef Tiso, president of the Slovak state, and any other correspondence and documents that are present in the file. Students will work with this documentation throughout the semester by engaging in close reading to look at the ideological, propaganda, and legislative elements present in the documentation as well as conduct independent research into the phenomena that appear in the correspondence.

Evaluation criteria:

Active class participation 20%

5 quizzes X 10% = 50%

Final oral presentation 30%

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx: 0-59 points

Course contents:

1. Introduction, 2. Timeline of Holocaust events, 3. Origins of antisemitism in Slovakia, 4. Who was Jozef Tiso, who wrote to him about the Jewish question, and why? 5. How to study petitions and archival documents, 6. Ideological underpinnings of the Slovak state, 7. Antisemitic propaganda during the period, 8. Anti-Jewish legislative milestones Part 1, including defining the legal definition of Jewishness, Aryanization, and the liquidation of Jewish businesses, 9. Anti-Jewish legislative milestones Part II, the „Jewish Code,“ the presidential exemption, and the 1942 deportations, 10. Communications addressed to Tiso about the „Jewish question“ from non-Jews, religious leaders, and the Vatican, 11. Rescue activity and Holocaust memorialization in Slovakia, 12. Final presentations where students will place the letter written to Jozef Tiso that they have been working with during the semester in its historical context (oral presentation).

The course is a practical introduction to understanding qualitative research and integrated Holocaust history. Students will learn: the basic timeline of events in Slovak Holocaust history, the origins of antisemitism in Slovakia, and major legislative milestones that affected Jews in the Slovak state. In addition, they will become acquainted with petitions written to the president of the country about Jewish matters, gain a basic understanding of ideological factors and propaganda in wartime Slovakia, become familiar with the use of archival and secondary sources, and enhance their critical thinking, research, written, and oral presentation skills.

The course is designed in an interactive manner, with a balanced allocation of time between

lectures and interactive activities during seminars. During the semester, it is possible to earn 40

points through continuous assessment. 30 points can be earned from a midterm test and 10 points

for preparation and participation during seminars. The final test during the examination period

offers the opportunity to earn 60 points.

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx:

0-59 points

The CORE Econ Team (2019). Economy, Society, and Public Policy. Available at:

https://www.core-econ.org/espp/.

· The CORE Econ Team (2023). The Economy 2.0. Available at: https://core-econ.org/the-

economy/.

Recommended Literature:

· Bowles, S. – Halliday, S. D. (2022). Microeconomics: Competition, Conflict, and

Coordination. Oxford University Press.

· Carlin, W. – Soskice, D. (2024). Macroeconomics: Institutions, Instability and Inequality.

Oxford University Press.

· Krugman, P. – Wells, R. (2024). Economics. 7th Edition. Macmillan Learning.

· Mankiw, N. (2023). Principles of Economics. 10th Edition. Cengage Learning.

1. Introduction to the Study of Economics and the Economy,

2. Economic Decision-Making (Firms, Consumers, and Social Interactions),

3. Institutions, Power, and Inequalities,

4. Banks, Money, and the Credit Market,

5. Firm Behavior,

6. Supply, Demand, and Market Equilibrium,

7. Unemployment and the Labor Market,

8. Economic Growth and the Business Cycle,

9. Inflation and Unemployment, 10. Economic Policies, 11. The Economy in the Global Economy, 12. Economic Inequalities and Environmental Economics, 13. Economics and Politics (Governments and Markets in a Democratic Society).

Upon completing the course, students will be able to navigate fundamental topics in

microeconomics and macroeconomics, master the basic conceptual framework of economic theory,

and apply the acquired theoretical knowledge of economics to solve practical problems and interpret

socio-economic phenomena with an emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches in social sciences.

Students will also be able to connect theoretical knowledge of economic theory with the real

functioning of the economy in broader societal and global contexts.

Nuget, N.: From European Community to European Union - Chapter 4 in Government and Politics of the European Union. Duke University Press, 2003; pp. 46-54

Craig P (2011) Institutions, power and institutional balance. In: Craig P, de Burca G (eds) The evolution of EU law, 2nd ed. Oxford University Press, Ch 3

Brink, T.: The substance of subsidiarity: the interpretation and meaning of the principle after Lisbon in Trybus, M. – Rubini, L.: The Treaty of Lisbon and the Future of European Law and Policy. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, 2012; pp. 160-18

Staab, A.: Checks and Balances – Chapter 8 in The European Union Explained. Institutions, Actors, Global Impact. Indiana University Press, 2012; pp. 82-87

Staab, A.: The European Parliament – Chapter 6 in The European Union Explained. Institutions, Actors, Global Impact. Indiana University Press, 2012; pp. 65-73

Stubb, A. – Wallace, H. – Peterson, J.: The Policy-Making Process – Chapter 7 in Bomberg, E. – Stubb, A.: The European Union: How does it work? Oxford University Press, 2003; pp. 136 – 155.

The European Parliament and enlargement, Chapter 5 in Best, E. – Christiansen, T. – Settembri P.: The Institutions of the Enlarged European Union. Continuity and Change. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, 2008; pp. 82-99

Salm, Ch.: The added value of the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI), and its revision. European Parliamentary research Centre, European Added Value Unit, 2018, pp. 4-20

Szeligowska, D. – Mincheva, E.: The European Citizens' Initiative – Empowering European Citizens within the Institutional Triangle: A Political and Legal Analysis. Perspectives on European Politics and Society, vol. 13:3, 2012, pp. 270-284

Schutze, R.: Executive Powers. Competences and Procedures. In: Schutze, R.: European Union Law (with Brexit Coverage). 2nd edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2018, pp. 309 – 349.

Wessels, W.: The European Council: a bigger club, a similar role? Chapter 2 in Best, E. – Christiansen, T. – Settembri P.: The Institutions of the Enlarged European Union. Continuity and Change. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, 2008; pp. 16-33

Mirschberger, M.: Who leads the EU? Competences, rivalry and a role for the President of European Council, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Presidency of the Council and the President of the European Commission in Trybus, M. – Rubini, L.: The Treaty of Lisbon and the Future of European Law and Policy. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, 2012; pp. 15-33.

Schutze, R.: Executive Powers. Competences and Procedures. In: Schutze, R.: European Union Law (with Brexit Coverage). 2nd edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2018, pp. 309 – 334.

Arnull, A.: European Court of Justice after Lisbon. In: Trybus, M. – Rubini, L.: The Treaty of Lisbon and the Future of European Law and Policy. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, 2012; pp. 34-54.

Horsley, T.: The Court of Justice and the EU Legislature. In: Horsley, T.: The Court of Justice of the European Union as an Institutional Actor. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2018, pp. 186 - 193

The Character of Fundamental Rights – Part III in Trybus, M. – Rubini, L.: The Treaty of Lisbon and the Future of European Law and Policy. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, 2012; pp. 181-238

Nolan, C.: Enforcing human rights in Europe and beyond: international law and human rights in changing world in Koutrakou V.N.: Contemporary issues and debates in the EU policy. The European Union and International Relations, Manchester University Press, 2004; pp.73-96

Weatherill, S.: Who is the citizen of the Union. Law and Values in the European Union. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Clarendon Law Series, 2016, pp. 363-382

Mokrá, L.: Internal Dimension of Human Rights Law in the European Union. Prague, C.H.Beck, 2021

Buonanno, L. - Nugent, N.: Policies and Policy Processes of the European Union. Palgrave Macmillan, The European Union Series, 2013, pp. 119-141

Staab, Al. Economic and Monetary Union – Chapter 12 in The European Union Explained. Institutions, Actors, Global Impact. Indiana University Press, 2012; pp. 125-140

Luckhurst, J. – Koutrakou, V.: EU economic governance in the present world system in Koutrakou V.N.: Contemporary issues and debates in the EU policy. The European Union and International Relations, Manchester University Press, 2004; pp.102-119

Van Vooren, B. – Wessel R.A.: CFSP decision-making and the role of institutions in EU External Relations Law. Text, Cases and Materials. Cambridge University Press, 2014; pp. 368 – 396

Basilien-Gainche, M-L.: The EU immigration and asylum policy in the post-Lisbon institutional context in Trybus, M. – Rubini, L.: The Treaty of Lisbon and the Future of European Law and Policy. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, 2012; pp. 355 - 380

Davies, B.: Delegation and accountability of criminal agencies after Lisbon: an examination of EUROPOL in Trybus, M. – Rubini, L.: The Treaty of Lisbon and the Future of European Law and Policy. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, 2012; pp. 325 – 340.

Mokrá, L.: Theorizing Institutions: The European Public Prosecutor's Office in the EU Institutional Framework. http://www.iksi.ac.rs/izdanja/uloga_drustva_u_borbi_protiv_korupcije_2020.pdf#page=134

Siman, M. – Slašťan, M.: Právo Európskej únie. Bratislava: Euroiuris, 2012

Conditions for passing the course:

1) Regular class attendance

Students may only miss two weeks during the semester with notified apologize via email. If a student misses more classes, s/he must present a valid proof of the reason (doctor’s note in case of illness etc.). Special task will be delegated to students of more than apologized absence.

2) in-semester assessment:

• presentation on pre-given topic (20%)

Presentations’ aim is to encourage students to actively participate in the classes. The presentation is prepared by individual student. The presentation should not include the same information as the lecture (though references to the lecture are admittable). The presentation should be in the form of analysis, not a lecture. The student should also take his/her own approach to the topic based on the study of relevant literature and using diverse theories/approaches.

Each presentation should include at least 2 questions for the discussion following the presentation. The question shall trigger interesting debate, might be speculative or playing the role of devil’s advocate. The presentation should be no longer than 15 minutes. The ppt file or link to prezi are to be uploaded in MS Teams by each Wednesday prior to seminar by 12:00 noon.

• Tests

The aim of the test is to check the students’ understanding of the EU instititions and their role in particular EU policies. As the course is heavily dependent on the factual and analytical knoweledge, the test provide an appropriate forms of monitoring the results of the course.

test from block A – 05.4.2021 (15%)

test from block B – 17.5.2021 (15%)

• active participation, e.g.involvement in discussion, etc. (10%)

The students are encouraged to participate in the discussion following the students’ presentations as well as during the lectures.

2/ model negotiations of CoEU 40%

• 20% = written statement / observations regarding to topic and country = position paper

• 20% = oral defence and participation on simulation of Council meeting

There will be two parts of final exam – written and oral.

The written part contains in preparation of position paper, when representing one of the EU member state in the Council. Students are obliged to enroll to concrete country and topic in first two weeks of semester. Only one student can be enrolled to the topic.

The position paper requirements are as follows: 500 words at maximum, Times New Roman 12, line spacing 1,0. Every position paper has to be labelled as the example: C1_surname and name or C2_surname and name. Position paper has to be submitted on-line through moodle.uniba.sk system by 30 April, 23:55 in word format. Plagiarism in position papers is not tolerated and in case of suspicion of plagiarism, the student fails the course. Copy-pasting, despite appropriate reference is not tolerated as well.

The oral part contains presentation of position paper on simulation meeting of Council. Every speech should be then no longer than 2 minutes. The presentation will be followed by discussion and drafting the final statement/decision or resolution. The evaluation will be based on presentation of relevant arguments from the point of representing country and work in the drafting document. Students have to for passing the course regarding to Code of Studies defence their position paper on simulation meeting of EU bodies. Only students who submit the position paper on time and fulfil the academic criteria for written semester work are entitled for oral defence.

The oral part will take place directly within the examination period after lecturing period.

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx: 0-59 points

1. Historical Development of EU institutional system

2. Institutional Architecture of the EU

3. Horizontal Division of Powers – EU institutional triangle

4. Legislative power, European Parliament (including legislative process)

5. Executive power: Commission (and agencies), comitology, decision-making and European citizens’ initiative

6. Executive power: European Council, Council of the EU, decision-making

7. Judicial System of the EU and judicial protection

8. EU citizenship and human rights protection

9. Introduction to EU policies – principles and division to Common, Shared and Coordinated Policies

10. Economic and Monetary Union, the EU budget

11. Foreign Policy, Security and Defence policy

12. Police cooperation in criminal and civil matters

13. Judicial cooperation in criminal and civil matters

Students will learn about functioning of the EU institutional system, the system of multi-level governance and relations with EU Member states as well as about processes that lead to the formulation of EU policies. They will also understand theoretical concepts of European integration and basic legal and political documents and by training of writing position papers to concrete contemporary topics and their presentations during simulation meeting of the Council of EU, they will practically train how to apply gained knowledge to the real-life situations. Students will build up on the knowledge from previous courses (mainly Political system of SR, Academic communication(s)) and will elaborate on their written, presentation and oral skills in agenda related to EU institutional and political system.

Clapham, A. (2015). Human rights: A very short introduction (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.

Cushman, T. (Ed.). (n.d.). Handbook of human rights (pp. 7–21). Routledge.

Dembour, M.-B. (2010). What are human rights? Four schools of thought. Human Rights Quarterly, 32(1), 1–20.

Donnelly, J. (2003). Universal human rights in theory and practice. Cornell University Press.

Gonzales-Salzberg, D. A., & Hodson, L. (2020). Research methods for international human rights law. Routledge.

Haas, M. (2014). International human rights: A comprehensive introduction. Routledge.

Ishay, M. R. (2023). The human rights reader. Routledge.

Mertens, T. (2020). A philosophical introduction to human rights. Cambridge University Press.

Moyn, S. (2022). Poslední utopie: Lidská práva v dějinách. Rybka Publishers.

Nickel, J. W. (2006). Making sense of human rights (2nd ed.). Wiley-Blackwell.

O’Byrne, D. (2003). Human rights: An introduction. Routledge.

Rawls, J. (2001). The law of peoples. Harvard University Press.

Sliwinski, S. (2009). The aesthetics of human rights. Culture, Theory & Critique, 50(1), 23–39. https://doi.org/10.1080/14735780902732214

Smith, R., & McConnel, L. (2018). Research methods in human rights. Routledge.

The course is based on continuous assessment, and students are encouraged to prepare regularly for lectures and seminars.

20% - Active participation in lectures and seminars (up to 2 points for active work each week)

Includes the analysis of case(s) (a real judgment or decision for reading and discussion related to the lecture topic).

20% - Presentation

A presentation focused on a case study - oral presentation in PowerPoint format, social media campaign, or short documentary.

30% - Final paper

A written paper on a topic related to current developments in human rights, analysis of a judgment, etc.

30% - Final exam

Students are entitled to a maximum of two absences, which must be justified according to the Study Regulations. Plagiarism is automatically graded with Fx.

Grading scale: A: 100-91 points; B: 90-81 points; C: 80-73 points; D: 72-66 points; E: 65-60 points; Fx: 59-0 points

English, Slovak

Course is prepared in cooperation with Amnesty International Slovakia

1) Historical and philosophical development of human rights

2) Generations of human rights

3) Absolute rights and their limits

4) International protection of human rights and UN organizations

5) European protection of human rights I – Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights

6) European protection of human rights II – European Union, OSCE, OECD

7) International treaties on human rights and their implementation

8) Case studies

9) Slovak context of human rights protection

10) Non-governmental organizations and Amnesty International

11) Human rights defenders, activism, and social movements

12) Human rights in the digital environment

13) The future of human rights: climate justice and technological challenges

The course connects academic knowledge of human rights with practical approaches to their protection and enforcement. It provides a theoretical foundation, historical overview, and insight into current challenges in the field of human rights, while also drawing on direct collaboration with non-governmental organizations and activist initiatives.

Students will:

• understand the philosophical, historical, and legal roots of human rights and their evolution in the international context,

• distinguish the generations of human rights and apply them to specific social problems,

• become familiar with international mechanisms, institutions, and instruments for the protection of human rights,

• learn to analyze the case law of the ECtHR, UN Committees, and other international bodies,

• acquire practical experience in advocacy and activism (in cooperation with Amnesty International),

• understand the role of human rights in the digital environment,

• be able to reflect on the Slovak context and the role of civil society in the protection of rights.

Recommended literature:

• Musil, Jiří (1993): Czech and Slovak Society: Outline of a Comparative Study. Czech Sociological Review 1 (1): 5-22 (available also in Czech)

• Sopóci, Ján: Politika v spoločnosti. Veda, Bratislava, 2004, pp. 7-14.

• Sartori, G. (1969) 'From the Sociology of Politics to Political Sociology' in S.M. Lipset (ed.) Politics and the Social Sciences, New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 65– 70.

• Krause, Kevin D.: Elected Affinities. Democracy and Party Competition in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California 2006, Chapters 1 and 6, s. 1- 21; 225- 241.

• Bútorová, Zora - Gyárfášová, Oľga: Slovensko na prahu tretej dekády slobody : kontúry participačného paradoxu. In: Občianstvo, participácia a deliberácia na Slovensku: teória a realita. - Bratislava : Veda, 2010. - S. 137-184.

• Hloušek, Vít – Kopeček, Lubomír (2005): Cleavages in Contemporary Czech and Slovak Politics: Between Persistence and Change. Paper for the ECPR Conference, 2005 Panel 30-10: Parties, Party Systems and Cleavages in CEE II.

• Lipset, Seymour Martin – Rokkan, Stein (eds), 1967. Party Systems and Voter Alignments: Cross national Perspectives. New York, The Free Press. An Introduction by Lipset and Rokkan, pp. 1-64.

• Petrocik, John R. (1996): Issue Ownership in Presidential Elections with a 1980 Case Study. In: American Journal of Political Science, Vol. 40, No. 3, pp. 825-50.

• Lijphart, Arend: Unequal Participation: Democracy’s Unresolved Dilemma. The American Political Science Review (91) 1, pp. 1-14.

• Gyárfášová, Oľga: Voličské správanie na Slovensku: teória, trendy, výskum. - 1. vyd. - Pezinok : Renesans, 2011.

• Lucardie, Paul: Prophets, Purifiers and Prolocutors: Towards a Theory on the Emergence of New Parties, Party Politics, 6 (April 2000), 175-185.

• Bitušíková, A.: (In)Visible Women in Political Life in Slovakia, Sociologický časopis/Czech Sociological Review, 2005, Vol. 41, No. 6: 1005–1021

• Müller, Jan-Werner (2016). What is populism? Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2016. 22 (available also in Slovak translation)

• Mudde, Cas: Populist Radical Right Parties in Europe. Cambridge University Press, 2007.

• Steuer, Max: The (Non)Political Taboo: Why Democracies Ban Holocaust Denial1

Sociológia 2017, Vol. 49 (No. 6: 673-693)

• Bustikova, Lenka - Guasti, Petra: Hating the Imaginary Neighbour: An Analysis of Anti-Semitism in Slovakia, in: Journal for the Study of Anti-Semitism 4, no. 2 (2012): 469-493.

• Inglehart, Ronald: The Silent Revolution in Europe: Intergenerational Change in Post-Industrial Societies. In: The American Political Science Review, Vol. 65, No. 4 (Dec.1971), pp. 991-1017.

• Greskovits, Bela (2015), ´The Hollowing and Backsliding of Democracy in East Central Europe´, Global Policy, 6, (S1): 28-37.

The course is based on ongoing assessment and students are encouraged to continuously prepare on lectures and seminar sessions. Details

1. To participate in the seminars and to prepare with compulsory readings (20 points).

2. To write weekly a short written annotation (of 300-350 words) that focuses on 2-3 key ideas of the paper and explain why and how these ideas are relevant, annotations must be submitted 2 days before the class via Moodle. All essential required readings are available in Moodle. Eight out of ten annotations during the semester are required as “absolute minimum”, if it is not met, no points for this segment of the overall grade will be assigned. The annotations will be evaluated at weekly basis (30 points).

3. Make at least one class presentation (as individual or in team up to 3 students) which should critically analyze the assigned recommended reading for a particular topic (20 points).

4. Write a final essay of about 1800 - 2000 words on a pre-agreed topic, the essay will be submitted during the exam period. The exact deadline of submission will be announced by the end of November at latest (30 points).

Students are entitled for maximum 2 absences, which have to be justified according to Code of Studies.

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx: 0-59 points

Slovak and English

Course contents:

1. Introduction to the course, course overview, organizational details, etc.

2. What is Political Sociology? How should we study it? Key concepts, issues, and short overview of the history.

3. Democratization/Transition Processes

4. Civil society, social capital, participation

5. Societal and Political Cleavages

6. Voting behavior I. Theories, concepts, history of research

7. Voting behavior II. New parties

8. Women’s representation in politics

9. Populism: Causes and Consequences

10. Right-Wing Extremism and Anti-Semitism

11. Postmodern Change in the Value System

12. Recent Challenges to Liberal Democracy

13. Concluding class, discussion, feedback

As a result of participating in Political Sociology course students will be able to use key concepts on analyzing the political and social problems and to identify how changes in social structure impact politics. Moreover, they will be able to apply analytical methodological tools to deconstruct social phenomenon, to determine relevant factors of political developments. Since the course aims to explore how the politics (institutions, actors, processes) and society mutually affect each other, students will learn how different methodological approached could be applied. During the course most of the topics are explored in the comparative perspective, so the students will be able to apply comparative perspective. They will also learn how to use different empirical sources for building their arguments when identifying social and political issues.

Thanks to the different types of assignments students will acquire the skills of understanding and interpreting academic texts, formulating arguments and to present them in front of the audience. Furthermore, they exercise how to write a good argumentative (critical) essay – proposing a claim, finding, and building up relevant evidence, examine to arguments, to discuss the problem and to defend own position.

Recommended literature:

Chalmers, D. – Davies, G. – Monti, G.: European Union Law. 3rd ed. Cambridge, 2014

Stehlík, V. – Hamuľák, O.: Legal issues of EU internal market: understanding four freedoms. Olomouc, UPO, 2013

Hamuľák, O. – Stehlík, V.: European Union Constitutional Law. Revealing the complex constitutional system of the European Union. Olomouc, UPO, 2013

Robinson, G.: European Union Law. 2nd ed. Routledge, 2017

Siman, Michael - Slašťan, Miroslav: Právo Európskej únie. Bratislava, 2011

Barents, R.: The Court of Justice after the Treaty of Lisbon (2010) 47 Common Market Law Review 709-728

Bogdandy A.V.: Founding Principles of EU Law: A Theoretical and Doctrinal Sketch. 16 European Law Journal 95-111 (2010)

Jacobs F.G.: The evolution of the European legal order (2004) 41 Common Market Law Review 303-316

Conditions for passing the course:

The course is based on ongoing assessment and students are encouraged to continuously prepare on lectures and seminar sessions.

 participation on seminars (10 x 4 = 20 points), up to 2 points for active work on seminar(s)

o case(s) for analysis (real judgement for reading and discussion afterwards, related to the topic of the lecture). List of landmark case(s) for related to each session will be provided to students during the first session.

o 1 case for discussion (fictious case, elaboration of the case, reasoning, proposal for the settlement and judicial remedy. The case “assignment” with guideline for elaboration will be provided to students at the beginning of each seminar.

 1st assignment – EU law system and implementation (30 points), in the mid of semester. Form of assignment: open book, fictious case of application based on the case law from the first part of semester (general application of EU law)

 2nd assignment – EU common market (30 points), at the end of semester. Form of assignment: open book, fictious case of application based on the case law related to the second part of the semester’s topics.

Students are entitled for 1 re-take of assignments. Students are entitled for maximum 2 absences, which have to be justified according to Code of Studies.

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx: 0-59 points

Course contents:

1. Introduction – general framework of the EU legal system development, interlink to previous knowledge of students

2. Term European Law, sources of law (primary, secondary, subsidiary)

3. Implementation of primary EU law sources (founding treaties, principles and values, protocols)

3. Implementation of secondary EU law sources (regulations, directives, decisions; legal acts adopted by EU institutions – soft law)

4. Supremacy of the EU law – principle and application practice based on case law

5. Direct effect of the EU law – principle and application practice based on case law

6. State liability (objective and subjective liability, infringement procedure)

Mid-term repetitorium and assessment

7. Free movement of goods as part of common market (application of EU law and case law)

8. Free movement of workers (application of EU law and case law)

9. Free movement of services and freedom of establishment (application of EU law and case law)

10. Free movement of capital (application of EU law and case law)

11. EU Competition law and its protection

Final repetitorium and assessment

Learning outcomes:

After successful passing of the course The Law of the European Union, students will be able to apply EU laws both on national level as well as to evaluate the fulfilment of Member State’s obligation in relation to EU law application. Students will be able to make distinction between different legal power of EU law sources and determine the potential discretion competence of Member State in legislative or executive power.

Students will be able to recommend the correct implementation of EU laws in concrete situations related to EU internal market (fundamental freedoms) based on the exhaustive case law of the Court of Justice of the EU. Students will also learn how to formulate arguments and justifications for their proposal of EU law implementation (based on the cases analysis and cases’ discussions).

They will also learn how to use database system for searching EU legislation and case law in all phases of its decision-making, which is necessary for successful elaboration of assignments.

Alexander, Michelle. 2010. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness.

Bale, T. (2017). European Politics: A Comparative Introduction.

Cabada, Ladislav and Ondřej Stulík. 2016. Současná komparativní politologie Klíčové koncepty. Aleš Čeněk.

Lijphart, Arend. 1999. Patterns of Democracy: Government Forms and Performance in Thirty- Six Countries New Haven & London: Yale University Press.

Morone, James and Rogan Kersh. 2020. By the People: Debating American Government.

Wilkerson, Isabel. 2020. Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents.

O’Neil, P. H. (2020). Essentials of Comparative Politics (7th ed.). W. W. Norton & Company.

The course is based on continuous assessment, with students evaluated throughout the semester. Assessment components include active participation in class discussions, seminar presentations, written assignments, and the final test, providing a comprehensive measure of students’ participation, understanding, and analytical skills.

10% - Active participation and class preparedness

20% - Seminar activities

20% - Comparative case study presentation

15% - Comparative essay

35% - Final test

Introduction session: course objectives and requirements

2. Comparative politics and advanced democracies

3. The political system of the United States: presidentialism and separation of powers

4. The political system of the United Kingdom: Westminster model and majoritarian politics

5. The political system of France: semi-presidentialism and political leadership

6. The political system of Germany: federalism and consensus democracy

7. Comparing political institutions across democratic systems

8. Political parties and electoral systems in comparative perspective

9. Populism and political polarization in the U.S. and Europe

10. Interest groups, civil society and political participation

11. Inequality, race and representation: comparative social and political challenges

12. Comparing migration and integration policies in the U.S and Europe

13. Final session: discussion and reflection on contemporary challenges in advanced democracies

Students will deepen their knowledge and learn about political institutions and government systems in different countries based on key publications and views of different authors.

After completion of the course, students will be able to:

• apply tools of comparative politics to analyze the governments and institutions of a select group of countries (e.g. US and Western Europe)

• gain familiarity with contemporary political processes including polarization, democratization, interest groups, inequality, race and racism and migration and the ways that different political systems are navigating these processes

• critically engage with the mechanisms through which different political institutions and processes impart effects on society and vice versa

• relate the approaches and cases that appear in the course with prior experiences or background knowledge

• apply comparative politics concepts to current events in the news

Recommended literature:

• Vnútorný predpis č. 7/2018 Smernica rektora Univerzity Komenského v Bratislave Úplné znenie vnútorného predpisu č. 12/2013 Smernice rektora Univerzity Komenského v Bratislave o základných náležitostiach záverečných prác, rigoróznych prác a habilitačných prác, kontrole ich originality, uchovávaní a sprístupňovaní na Univerzite Komenského v Bratislave v znení dodatku č. 1 a dodatku č. 2 (dostupná na https://uniba.sk/fileadmin/ruk/legislativa/2018/Vp_2018_07.pdf)

• Agee, J. (2009). Developing qualitative research questions: a reflective process. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education. Vol. 22, no. 4, pp.431-447

• American Political Science Association. (2006). APSA Style Manual for Political Science.

• Bailey, S. (2006). Academic Writing. A Handbook for International Students. London & New York: Routledge

• Lipson, Ch. (2005). How to Write a BA Thesis: A Practical Guide from Your First Ideas to Your Finished Paper (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

• Evera, S. V. (1997). Guide to methods for students of political science. Ithaca & London: Cornell University Press.

• Glatthorn, A. A. & Randy L. Joyner. (2005). Writing the Winning Thesis or Dissertation: A Step- by-Step Guide. 2nd edition. Thousand Oaks, CA.: Corwin Press.

• Katuščák, Dušan (2007): Ako písať záverečné a kvalifikačné práce. Enigma.

• Martin, J.L. (2017). Thinking Through Methods. A Social Sciences Primer. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

• Neville, C. (2010). The complete guide to referencing and avoiding plagiarism. Berkshire & New York: McGraw-Hill House & Open University Press.

• Silverman, D. (2000). Doing Qualitative Research. A Handbook. London: Sage Publications.

• Staroňová, Katarína (2011): Vedecké písanie. Ako písať akademické a vedecké texty. Osveta.

• Walton, D. (2006). Fundamentals of Critical Argumentation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

• Disman, M. (2007). Jak se vyrábí sociologická znalost. Příručka pro uživatele. Praha: Karolinum.

• Hendl, J. (2005) Kvalitatívní výzkum. Základné metody a aplikace. Portál, Praha.

https://uniba.sk/fileadmin/ruk/ovv/2024/smernica_rektora_AI.pdf

https://uniba.sk/fileadmin/ruk/ovv/2024/Odporucane_sposoby_citovania_vystupov_

alebo_pouzitia_generativnej_umelej_inteligencie_na_Univerzite_Komenskeho_v_Bratislave1.pdf

The course is based on ongoing assessment and students are encouraged to continuously prepare on lectures and seminar sessions. Details:

Active participation in the course and preparation for seminars (10 points).

Elaboration of 6 assignments (each 5 points): 1. research question; 2. structure of the final thesis; 3. citation standards; 4. application of AI; 5. proposed research methods, ev. sources of empirical data , 6. literature review (30 points).

Individual presentation of the bachelor thesis project. The presentation must include the structure of the thesis, research design, research question, argumentation, and proposed research method/s.

(20 points).

Submission of the introduction and the theoretical and methodological chapter of the bachelor's thesis during the examination period (40 points).

Students are entitled for maximum 2 absences, which have to be justified according to Code of Studies.

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx: 0-59 points

Course contents:

1. Introduction and instructions for the course.

2. How to formulate proper research question of the final thesis.

3. Structure / Content of the final work.

4. Libraries, resources and their use.

5. AI – ethical and effective application

6. Academic writing and citation standards.

7. Research methods, data collection, use of secondary data.

8. Review of literature on the topic.

9. Presentation preparation - How to present correctly?

10.-12. Students´ presentations.

13. Final evaluation.

After completing the course, students should master the first phase of writing a bachelor's thesis - structure, formulating a research question, identifying a research gap, establishing an appropriate theory and determining research methods - and be prepared for the second phase of writing - conducting empirical research, analyzing and writing the content of the thesis itself, i.e., writing a high-quality final thesis. The course will provide practice in adhering to the principles of academic writing and working with relevant professional literature, using research methods and correct argumentation in written text, including through the development of ongoing assignments. During the course, students will apply the acquired knowledge to the processing of their own bachelor's thesis. The subject emphasizes the use of peer to peer, i.e. mutual exchange of knowledge, information and skills, as well as active participation in the gradual mastering of the process of writing a bachelor's thesis, evaluating presentations and interactions in class.

Recommended literature:

Bakic-Hayaden Milica: Nesting Orientalism (1995) The Case of Former Yugoslavia. Slavic review, vol. 54, no. 4, pp. 917-931.

Džankič Jelena, Keil Soeren and Kmedzič Marko (eds): The Europeanization of the Western Balkans. A Failure of EU Conditionality? New Perspective on South-East Europe Series. Palgrave Macmillan, 2019

European Commission. EU Enlargement. Website https://ec.europa.eu/info/policies/eu-enlargement_en

Finlan Alastair: The Collapse of Yugoslavia 1991-1999. Essential Histories series. Osprey Publishing Ltd, 2004

Gallagher Tom, Outcast Europe the Balkans 1789- 1989: From the Ottomans to Milosevic, Routledge, 2001

Hansen Lene (2010) Gender, Nation and Rape: Bosnia and Construction of Security. International Feminist Journal of Politics, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 55-75

Hayden, Robert M. (1996) Imagined Communities and Real Victims: Self.Deterinationa and Ethnic Cleansing in Yugoslavia. American Ethnologist, vol. 23 No 4, pp. 783-801.

Jelavich Barbara: History of the Balkans, Volume 1 – Eighteenth and Nineteenths Centuries, Cambridge University Press 1983, reprint 1995

Judah Tim: Kosovo - What everyone needs to know, Oxford University Press 2008

Judah Tim, The Serbs, Third Edition, Yale University Press, 2010

Kaplan Robert: Balkan Ghosts: A Journey Through History, New York 2005

Koneska Svete: Regional Identity: The Missing Element in Western Balkans Security Cooperation. Western Balkans Security Observer, 2007-2008.

Kostovicova Denisa and Vesna Bojicic-Dtelilovic (2006) Europeanizing the Balkans: rethinking the post-communist and post-conflict transition. Ethnopolitics, vol. 5, No.3, pp. 223-241

LeBor Adam: Complicity with Evil: the United Nations in the Age of Modern Genocide, Yale University Press, 2006

Paradoxes of Stabilisation: Bosnia and Herzegovina from the Perspective of Central Europe, Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW), 2016, available at:

http://www.osw.waw.pl/sites/default/files/raport_paradoxes-of-stabilisation_net_0.pdf

Radicalisation in Bosnia: old wounds reopened by an emerging problem Shenhav, Ronan, The Conversation UK, available at: https://theconversation.com/radicalisation-in-bosnia-old-wounds-reopened-by-an-emerging-problem-63534

Ramet, Sabrina: Scholarly Debates about the Yugoslav Breakup and the Wars in Bosnia and Kosovo, Cambridge University Press, 2006

Rosůlek Přemysl: Albánci a Makedonská republika (1991-2014), Libri, 2015

Srebrenica: A Town Betrayed, Ola Flyum and David Hebditch, Norwegian State Television (NRK, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnALEecbZ-k

Vioska Gezim and John Doyle (2016) Noe-Functional Peace: The European Union Way of Resolving Conflicts. JCMS, vol. 54, no. 4, pp. 862-877

Course requirements:

Flash news from Western Balkan countries - 30%

Short news from respective country of the region. Part of this activity is for students to have a debate about ongoing issues happening in their country and to provide a short analysis thereof. Flashnews aim to keep the students updated about what is going on in the Western Balkans region.

Group Project – 30%

Group of 3-4 students prepare a complex project focused on one of the offered topics or on a topic of their choice. Project may be in the form of research, empirical analysis or overview study (on a less known topic). Project shall not have the form of a descriptive paper. The project aims to train analytical and research skills of students.

Project Presentation - 20%

Group presentation in the form of power/point or video aims to train communication with audience and formulation of ideas and thoughts, that shall be understandable to non-experts.

Activity - 20%

Activity is evaluated as an active participation in lectures and seminars (if possible) and in students’ presentations. It aims to practise reactions and thinking about a topic, in which the student does not have to be necessarily an expert.

Evaluation scale:

A (100-91), B (90-81), C (80-73), D (72-66), E (65-60), FX (59-)

In case of plagiarism (or the suspicion of plagiarism), it possible to evaluate the task with 0 points, to fail the course and to submit the claim to disciplinary commission.

slovak, english

Details of the course are yearly specified in syllabus.

Class syllabus:

1. Current relations between Western Balkan countries; 2. Western Balkan countries in the EU enlargement process and current challenges; 3. Between the World Powers; 4.Constructing the Balkan region and identity I: from tribes to Ottoman Empire; 5. Constructing the Balkan region and identity II: from Balkan Wars to WW I; 6. Middle war period and WW II, independent Yugoslavia and Tito; 7. Causes and course of Yugoslav wars; 8. Aftermath of Yugoslav wars – Serbia, Kosovo and Montenegro; 9. Aftermath of Yugoslav wars - Bosnia and Herzegovina; 10. Aftermath of Yugoslav wars - Albania and Northern Macedonia; 11.Is there a “centuries old hatred” among the nations and peoples of Western Balkans?

Learning outcomes:

Students will obtain basic knowledge about the history and current state of affairs in Western Balkans countries, mainly in the context of Yugoslav wars, EU enlargement and geopolitical dynamics of great powers (China, EU, USA, Russia). The course shall trigger contextual and critical thinking of students about Western Balkans from three perspectives – political, legal-institutional and security. Course is focused on regional as well as national level of analysis and knowledge. The emphasis is put on after-war period and intraregional dynamics which cannot be fully comprehended without historical context. The course utilizes multidisciplinary approach ranging from territorial studies to comparative politics and conflict analysis. The students shall better understand the development of situation in Western Balkans countries as well as the region itself, where identity and nation play crucial role.

Odporúčaná literatúra:

Brzechczyn, K. The Historical Distinctiveness of Central Europe. A Study in the Philosophy of History. Berlin: Peter Lang 2020.

Conelly, J. From Peoples into Nations. New Yersey – Oxford: Princeton University Press 2020.

Engler, S., Pytlas, B. and Deegan-Krause, K. (2019). Assessing the diversity of anti-establishment and populist politics in Central and Eastern Europe. West European Politics, 42(6):1310-1336. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01402382.2019.1596696

Gizicki, W. (ed.). Political Systems of Visegrad Group Countries. - Trnava - Lublin : University of St. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava - The John Paul II. Catholic University of Lublin, 2012

Haughton, T. and Deegan-Krause, K. The New Party Challenge Changing Cycles of Party Birth and Death in Central Europe and Beyond. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2020.

Krejčí, O. Geopolitics of the Central European region. The view form Prague and Bratislava. Bratislava: Veda 2005.

Linz, J. and Stepan, A. Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation, Southern Europe, South America, and Post-Communists Europe. Baltimore, London : The John Hopkins University Press 1996.

Merkel, W. – Kollmorgen, R. and Wagner, H. J. (eds.). The Handbook of Political, Social and Economic Transformation. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2019.

Ramet, S. (ed.): Central and Southeast European Politics since 1989. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2010.

Šabič, Z. and Drulák, P. (eds.). Regional and International Relations of Central Europe. New York: Palgrave Macmillan 2012.

Snyder, T. “Federalism and Nationalism in Polish Eastern Policy“, Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, Winter/Spring 2003, p. 111-118.

Szűcs, J. “The Three Historical Regions of Europe: An outline “, in: Acta Histórica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 29 (2 - 4), pp. 131 - 184 (1983)

Szulecki, K. Dissidents in Communist Central Europe. Human Rights and the Emergence of New Transnational Actors. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan 2019.

Zarycki, T. “Ideologies of Eastness in Central and Eastern Europe“, New York : Routledge 2014.

Conditions for passing the course:

Attendance: 10%; Commentary on readings - 20%; final paper - 43%, weekly discussion contributions - 3% (9-27% total)

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx: 0-59 points

Course contents:

1. Introduction of the region, its definition

2. Germany and Central Europe

3. Panslavism and its role in the formation of Central Europe

4. National visions of Central Europe

5. Opposition to Communism

6. Transition to democracy and problems of democratic consolidation

7. Problems of deconsolidation of democracy

8. Political party systems in Central Europe

9. Populism in Central Europe

10. Central Europe and Russia

11. The Visegrad Group (genesis, development, interpretation)

12. The Visegrad Group in the EU

Learning outcomes:

In the course "Comparative Politics - Central Europe" students will learn to analyse the different political concepts of Central Europe and the specificities of the region's past and present development. After completing the course, students will be able to overcome the one-sided national approach and replace it with a comparative and cross-cutting approach in understanding the position of all Visegrad countries.

Recommended literature:

Andersen,S.S., Goldthau,A. & Sitter N. (Eds.),(2020). Energy Union: Europe's New Liberal Mercantilism? London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Figulová, A., Wertlen, D. (2021). Between energy security and energy transition: Visegrad gas hub

In: From economic to energy transition : three decades of transitions in Central and Eastern Europe. - Cham : Palgrave Macmillan,, p. 315-339.

Herranz-Surrallés, A., Solorio, I. and Fairbrass, J. (2020). Renegotiation Authority in the Energy Union: A Framework for Analysis. Journal of European Integration 42(1),

Högselius, P. (2019). Energy and Geopolitics, New York: Routledge

Mišík, M.(2013). Energetická politika v rozšírenej Európskej úni. Praha UMV

Newell, P.(2021).Power Shift : The Global Political Economy of Energy Transitions. Cambridge University Press

Szulecki, K. (Ed). (2018). Energy Security in Europe: Divergent Perceptions and Policy Challenges. London: Palgrave Macmillan

And web pages such as - The Oxford Institute for Energy Studies (oxfordenergy.com)

Conditions for passing the course: Student´s evaluation is based on quality of student’s contribution to discussion in the class, presentation and written assignment.

Memos (20%) –

The aim is to read obligatory reading and submit short summary with focus on key points and your discussion about it. Focus is on analysis/discussion about key points. Five memos are compulsory. Minimal length is 500 words.10% -/+ allowed.

Commentary on current issue (10%)

Oral presentation/reflection on the current events from the energy politics. Submission is not required.

Student’s class presentation/Group class presentation (20%)

Presentations should cover an issue within a scope of the class’s topic. The oral presentation should be clear and communicate the arguments and information.

Seminar activity – 30%

Final Paper – 20%

The final paper shall be about 1800-2000 words length. Topic shall be discussed with lecturer.

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx: 0-59 points

Slovak/English

Extended and more concrete infromation on the subject is part of the Syllabus presented at the first lesson of the subject. Further on it is distributed through students emails.

Course contents:

1. Introduction - Energy Policy/Energy Security/

2. Theoretical perspectives on Energy Transition in the EU

3. EU Energy Law

4. European Green Deal

5. Cyber Security and Energy

6. Traditional Energy Source

7. Future Energy Sources

8. External Dimension of the EU energy and Climate Policies

9. USA Energy Policies and Green Deal

10. Energy as a political tool – EU and Russia

11. Energy sector in the EU Member State – Slovakia

Learning outcomes:

Students will build up on the previous knowledge from subjects on International Relations and those connected to European Union (The Law of the EU, The Institutions of the EU). Students will deepen their knowledge in particular area of energy policy and security, which enable them to broaden apprehension of global affairs, especially related to the problem of energy policy (with focus on the EU) and its impact on various variables such as internal policy, foreign affairs as well as security. Students will strengthen their analytical skills and argumentation by learning about new policy developments, challenges and perspective and connections from economic, geopolitical, and environmental perspective.

Bobbio, Norberto. 2005. Liberalism and democracy. London: Verso.; Christiano, Thomas. 1996. The Rule of The Many: Fundamental Issues in Democratic Theory. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.; Cunningham, Frank. 2002. Theories of Democracy: A Critical Introduction. London: Routledge.; Dahl, R., Shapiro, I., & Cheibub, J. A. eds. 2003. The Democracy Sourcebook. MIT Press.; Dahl, Robert. 1998. On Democracy. New Haven & London: Yale University Press.; della Porta, Donatella. 2013. Can Democracy Be Saved? Cambridge: Polity Press.; Gutmann, Amy and Dennis Thompson. 2009. Why Deliberative Democracy? Princeton University Press.; Held, David. 2006. Models of Democracy. Cambridge: Polity Press.; Hyland, James. 1995. Democratic Theory: The Philosophical Foundations. Manchester: Manchester University Press.; Levitsky, Steven and Daniel Ziblatt. 2018. How Democracies Die. New York: Crown.; Lijphart, Arend. 2008. Thinking about Democracy. New York, NY: Routledge.; Márquez, Xavier. 2017. Non-Democratic Politics: Authoritarianism, Dictatorship, and Democratization. London: Palgrave Macmillan.; McGann, Anthony. 2006. The Logic of Democracy: Reconciling Equality, Deliberation, and Minority Protection. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press.; Papadopoulos, Yannis. 2013. Democracy in Crisis? Politics, Governance, and Policy. Palgrave Macmillan.; Przeworski, Adam, Susan C. Stokes, and Bernard Manin, (eds.). 1999. Democracy, Accountability, and Representation. New York: Cambridge University Press.; Sartori, Giovanni. 1993. Teória demokracie. Bratislava: Archa.; Saward, Michael. 1998. The Terms of Democracy. Cambridge: Polity Press.; Shapiro, Ian. 2009. The State of Democratic Theory. Princeton University Press.; Tilly, Charles. 2007. Democracy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.; Weale, Albert. 1999. Democracy. London: Macmillan.; Wenman, Mark. 2013. Agonistic Democracy: constituent power in the era of globalisation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

none

The course is based on ongoing assessment and students are encouraged to continuously prepare for lectures and seminar discussions.

Tests: 50%; Research paper 20%; In-class activity and seminar work with weekly readings: 30%;

Any plagiarism will result in an automatic Fx.

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx: 0-59 points

English

1. What is democracy?; 2. History of Democracy; 3. Equality and Representation; 4. Criticism of democracy; 5. Liberal democracy; 6. Democratization and de-democratization; 7. Democratic elitism; 8. Democratic pluralism; 9. Aggregative views of democracy; 10. Participatory and deliberative democracy; 11. Radical and agonistic democracy

The course is graded entirely through preliminary assessment of student's work throughout the term, there is no "final" examination.

Cohen, Mitchell, and Nicole Fermon. 1996. Princeton Readings in Political Thought: Essential Texts since Plato. Princeton University Press.

Cohen, G.A. 2013. Lectures on the history of moral and political philosophy. Princeton University Press.

Coleman, Janet. 2000. A History of Political Thought – From Ancient Greece to Early Christianity. Blackwell.

Coleman, Janet. 2000. A History of Political Thought – From the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. Blackwell.

Howard, Dick. 2010. The Primacy of the Political: A History of Political Thought from the Greeks to the French and American Revolutions. Columbia University Press.

Klosko, George. 2012. History of Political Theory: An Introduction: Volume I: Ancient and Medieval – 2nd edition. Oxford University Press.

Klosko, George. 2013. History of Political Theory: An Introduction: Volume II: Modern – 2nd edition. Oxford University Press.

McClelland, J. S. 1996. A History of Western Political Thought. Routledge.

Rawls, John. 2008. Lectures on the history of political philosophy. Harvard University Press.

Ryan, Alan. 2012. On Politics: History of Political Thought – from Herodotus to Present. Liveright.

Siedentop, Larry. 2014. Inventing the Individual. Harvard University Press.

Skinner, Quentin. 1978. The Foundations of Modern Political Thought – Volume 1: The Renaissance. Cambridge University Press.

Skinner, Quentin. 1978. The Foundations of Modern Political Thought – Volume 2: The Age of Reformation. Cambridge University Press.

Smith, Steven. 2012. Political Philosophy. Yale University Press.

Strauss, Leo & Joseph Cropsey, eds. 1987. History of Political Philosophy, 3rd edition. University of Chicago Press.

Wolin, Sheldon. 2004. Politics and Vision: Continuity and Innovation in Western Political Thought-Expanded Edition. Princeton University Press.

Assessment: small tests and quizzes: 35%; participation in seminars and written online discussions: 35%; final test 30%

The course evaluation is as follows:

A 100 – 91

B 90 – 81

C 80 – 73

D 72 – 66

E 65 – 60

FX – 59

EN

1: What is political theory & why care about its history?

2: Plato vs. Polis

3: Aristotle’s science of Politics

4: What have the Romans ever done for us? (Polybius, Cicero)

5: Political Christianity with St. Augustine

6: Medieval political authority & early constitutionalism (Thomas Aquinas, John of Salisbury, Dante, Marsilius of Padau)

7 Humanism and political utopias (de Pizan, Erasmus, More)

8: Reformation political theory (Luther, Calvin)

9: Machiavelli & the republican tradition

10: Thomas Hobbes

The course is graded entirely through preliminary assessment of student's work throughout the term, there is no "final" examination.

This course is designed to provide students with a critical perspective of political thinking from the Ancient times up to the 20th century. The module follows the genesis lines of political thinking since Plato and Aristotle through natural –law thinkers up to the most recent studies on democracy and its future, from the most critical point of view –an individual within the society. The content of the course corresponds with the study programme. The Lecturer will provide students with additional sources and documents.

Recommended literature:

Cohen, Mitchell, and Nicole Fermon. 1996. Princeton Readings in Political Thought: Essential Texts

since Plato. Princeton University Press.

Kant, Immanuel. 1785. Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals.

Mill, John Stuart. On Liberty, Utilitarianism, and Other Essays. Edited by Mark Philp and Frederick Rosen. Oxford World’s Classics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015.

Novosád, František and Dagmar Smreková (eds.). 2013. Dejiny sociálneho a politického myslenia. Kalligram.

Rawls, John. Lectures on the History of Political Philosophy, Harvard University Press 2007 (A good introduction to the thought of Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Mill and Marx)

Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. The Social Contract and Other Later Political Writings. Edited by Victor Gourevitch. Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997.

Sandel Michael J. 2009. Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do?. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Wolin, Sheldon. 2004. Politics and vision: continuity and innovation in Western political thought. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press.

• Attendance 10 %

• Small quizzes throughout the semester 40 %

• Final test during the examination period 50%

Course contents:

Moral reasoning – normative arguments and doing the right thing

Utilitarianism – consequential ethics and the utilitarian school of thought

Conceptions of liberty – free market philosophy, self-ownership and past and present applications

Markets and morals – the free market and fairness and the shaping of modern political economy

Libertarian paternalism – theories on nudging

Principles of morality – right and wrong and lies in public life

Civil society – classical conceptions (Rousseau)

Equality and distributive justice – Rawls

Forms of power – Marx, Engels, and Gramsci

Environmental politics – Malthus and critics

Critical perspectives

Contemporary debates

Learning outcomes:

Students will learn about development of political thinking based on the key elements and concepts.

After completion of the course, students will be able to:

• engage with key modern political thinkers and understand the historical and social context upon which they are situated

• apply/draw parallels between concepts put forward by political thinkers and contemporary examples

• develop coherent normative arguments pertaining to a wide array of phenomena

• prepare written analysis weaving together and drawing conclusions regarding both historical writing and contemporary scholarship

• pose pertinent questions concerning the politics of the past and the modern day

Odporúčaná literatúra:

Ashworth, Scott, Christopher R. Berry, and Ethan Bueno de Mesquita. 2021. Theory and Credibility: Integrating Theoretical and Empirical Social Science. Princeton University Press.

Blau, Adrian, ed. 2017. Methods in Analytical Political Theory. Cambridge University Press.

Bukve, Oddbjørn. 2019. Designing Social Science Research. Springer.

Chalmers, Alan. 2013. What is this thing called science?, 4th Ed. University of Queensland Press.

Clarke, Kevin A., and David M. Primo. 2012. A Model Discipline: Political Science and the Logic of Representations. Oxford University Press.

Della Porta, Donatella and Michael Keating, eds. 2008. Approaches and Methodologies in the Social Sciences: A Pluralist Perspective. Cambridge University Press.

Dowding, Keith. 2015. The Philosophy and Methods of Political Science. Palgrave Macmillan.

Elster, Jon. 2007. Explaining Social Behavior: More nuts and bolts for the social sciences. Cambridge University Press.

Gerring, John. 2011. Social science methodology: A unified framework (strategies for social inquiry). 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Goodin, Robert E., ed. 2009. The Oxford Handbook of Political Science. Oxford University Press: Oxford.

Gordin, Michael. 2021. On the Fringe: Where Science Meets Pseudoscience. Oxford University Press.

Grigsby, Ellen. 2012. Analyzing Politics: An Introduction to Political Science, 5th ed., Cengage Learning.

Halamka, Tomáš, and Andrej Virdzek, eds. 2020. Jak číst politické myslitele?. Praha: Karolinum.

Hawkesworth, Mary and Maurice Kogan, eds. 1992. Encyclopaedia of Government & Politics, Vol. I. Routledge.

Ishiyama, John. 2011. Comparative Politics: Principles of Democracy and Democratization. John Wiley & Sons.

Kantola, Johanna, and Emanuela Lombardo. 2017. Gender and Political Analysis. Palgrave.

Kellstedt, Paul and Guy Whitten. 2013. The Fundamentals of Political Science Research, 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press.

Landman, Todd. 2008. Issues and Methods in Comparative Politics: An Introduction, 3rd ed. Routledge.

Lichbach, Mark. 2003. Is Rational Choice Theory All of Social Science? Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Lowndes, Vivien and Mark Roberts. 2013. Why institutions matter: The new institutionalism in political science. Palgrave Macmillan.

Lowndes, Vivien, David Marsh, and Gerry Stoker, eds. 2018. Theory and Methods in Political Science, 4th Ed. Palgrave Macmillan.

Martin, John Levi. 2015. Thinking Through Theory. New York: W.W. Norton & Co.

Oreskes, Naomi. 2021. Why Trust Science?. Princeton University Press.

Parsons, Craig. 2007. How to map arguments in political science. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Rosenberg, Alexander. 2012. Philosophy of Social Science, 4th ed. Westview Press.

Říchová, Blanka. 2000. Přehled moderních politologických teorií. Portál.

Stinchcombe, Arthur. 1987. Constructing social theories. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Stoker, Gerry, Guy Peters, & Jon Pierre eds. 2015. The Relevance of Political Science. Palgrave.

The course is based on ongoing assessment and students are encouraged to continuously prepare for lectures and seminar discussions.

Tests: 50%; reaction paper: 20%; in-class activity and seminar work with weekly readings: 30%;

Any plagiarism will result in an automatic Fx.

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx: 0-59 points

English

Course contents:

1. Introduction: What is politics? What is political science?

2. What is science?: philosophy of science – science and social science – distinguishing science from pseudoscience.

3. It works in theory: What is a theory in political science – and sciences in general? – constructing theories, models, and hypotheses – place of norms and values in science.

4. Explaining political behavior: Questions of ontology, epistemology, and research design – problems of theory and methodology.

5. Concepts as building blocks of theories: Concepts and concept formation – Defining and understanding key concepts in political science (state, power, authority, legitimacy, democracy).

6. Behavioralism: The behavioral revolution in political science – methodological positivism – quantitative science of politics – political psychology.

7. Rational Choice theory: methods of economics invade politics – uses and abuses of formal modeling – game theory.

8. Institutionalism: political science as study of political institutions – old institutionalism in political science and the varieties of new institutionalisms – historical institutionalism.

9. Constructivism and interpretative theory: political science as the study of social constructs – the importance of ideas, their interpreting and understanding – qualitative approaches.

11. Feminist political analysis: What does it mean to do political analysis from a gender perspective? – the concept of gender and the study of politics – diversity of questions and methods.

12. Normative political theory: at the intersection of political philosophy and political science – goals and methods of normative theorizing – thought experiments – conceptual analysis – ideological analysis.

Tests: 50%; reaction paper: 20%; in-class activity and seminar work with weekly readings: 30%;

Any plagiarism will result in an automatic Fx.

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx: 0-59 points

Aron, R. (1993). Demokracie a totalitarismus. Vyd. 2. Brno: Atlantis. 218 s. ISBN: 8071080640.

Bibó, I. (1996). Bieda východoeurópskych malých štátov. Bratislava:Kalligram

Berg-Schlosser, D. - Stammen, T. (2000). Úvod do politické vědy. Praha: Institut pro středoevropskou kulturu a politiku.

Cabada, L.; Kubát, M. a kol. (2007). Úvod do studia politické vědy. Vyd. 2. Plzeň: Nakladatelství a vydavatelství Aleš Čeněk. 455 s. ISBN 978-80-7380-076-5.

Dahl, R. (2001). O demokracii: průvodce pro občany. Vyd. 1. Praha: Portál. 191 s. ISBN: 80-7178-422-2

Dahl, R. (1995). Demokracie a její kritici. Praha: Victoria Publishing

Dočekalová, P., Švec, K. a kol. (2010). Úvod do Politologie. Praha: Grada Publishing.

Eccleshall, Robert - Finlayson, Alan - Geoghegan, Vincent et al. (2003). Political ideologies: An Introduction. London a New York: Routledge.

Fiala, P. - Strmiska, M. (1998). Teorie politických stran. Brno: Barrister & Principal.

Hloušek, V. - Kopeček, L., eds. (2003). Demokracie. Teorie, modely, osobnosti, podmínky, nepřátelé a perspektiv demokracie, Brno: Masarykova univerzita, Mezinárodní politologický ústav

Lukáč, Pavol (2004). Dejiny a zahraničná politika v Strednej Európe. Bratislava: Kalligram.

Novák, Miroslav (1997). Systémy politických stran. Úvod do jejich srovnávacího studia Vyd. 1. Praha: SLON. 275 s. ISBN: 80-85850-22-2.

Parsons,C.(2020). Introduction to Political Science: How to Think for Yourself about Politics. Pearson, 2nd edition

Říchová, Blanka (2017). Úvod do současné politologie. Srovnávací analýza politických systémů. Praha: Portál.

Sartori, Giovanni (1993). Teória demokracie. Vyd. 1. Bratislava: Archa. 512 s. ISBN: 80-7115-049-5.

Conditions for passing the course:

The course consists of ongoing assessments:

• work with literature:

- processing of compulsory literature stated in the syllabus of the course (25 points)

• activity at seminars - answers to questions, discussion on the topic of the given compulsory reading and elaboration of a seminar assignment (max. 36 points)

• final test takes place during the examination period, it is a part of the continuous evaluation (39 points).

Participation in individual parts of the course is mandatory in accordance with Study Code.

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx: 0-59 points

Slovak and English

1.Political science as a social science

2. Basic political ideologies

3.Political systems and governments

4. State and power

5. Elections and electoral systems

6. Political parties and movements

7. Nation and nationalism

8. Interest groups

9. Civil society

10. Economy versus politics

11. International relations

Students will acquire the knowledge necessary to study in the field of political science. They will gain knowledge of basic concepts and aspects in the study of political science and will gain theoretical and practical knowledge in the field of political theory, political system and the relationship of various components. Within the outputs of the course, students acquire the skill of writing, argumentation and critical perception via assessments during class.

American Political Science Association (2018). Style Manual for Political Science.

Baglione, L. A. (2020). Writing a Research Paper in Political Science. A Practical Guide to Inquiry, Structure, & Methods (4th ed.). CQ Press.

Learning Strategies Development (n.d.). Critical Reading for Graduate Students. Queens University. Retrieved January 25, 2022, from https://www.chds.us/ed/resources/uploads/2019/01/Critical-Reading-for-Graduate-Students.pdf

Neville, C. (2010). The complete guide to referencing and avoiding plagiarism. Open University Press.

Schmidt, D. E. (2019). Writing in Political Science (5th ed.). Routledge.

Staroňová, K. (2011). Vedecké písanie. Ako písať akademické a vedecké texty. Osveta.

Vnútorný predpis č. 13/2018 Disciplinárny poriadok Univerzity Komenského v Bratislave. Retrieved January 25, 2020, from https://uniba.sk/fileadmin/ruk/legislativa/2018/Vp_2018_13.pdf

Walton, D. (2006). Fundamentals of Critical Argumentation. Cambridge University Press.

Class participation and seminar exercises – 25 %

Home assignments – 35 %

Final assignment – 40 %

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx: 0-59 points

English

The course introduces students to the environment of academic communication. It covers key topics of active and critical reading and argumentation including:

• Language, narrative, and text

• Critical reading: media, social media, podcasts, videos

• Critical reading: policy papers, reports

• Critical reading: academic papers

• Referencing and avoiding plagiarism

• Identifying main and supporting arguments

• Evaluating claims and comparing ideas

• Building an argument, developing a position

The course has a strong hands-on component aimed at improving students’ skills of critical reading, note-taking, referencing, and argumentation.

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

• identify the purposes and typical features of various academic genres;

• find, critically approach, and use various types of sources;

• work with sources ethically and avoid plagiarism;

• identify, evaluate, compare, and develop arguments;

• formulate, structure, and present an informed position.

(Additional literature will be posted on the course website. Students will work with a variety of sources, including academic books, journal articles and relevant commentary and audio-visual material addressing selected cases).

King, G., Keohane, R. O. & S. Verba (1994). Designing Social Inquiry: Scientific Inference in Qualitative Research. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Maxwell, J. A. (2012, 3rd ed) Qualitative Research Design: An Interactive Approach. Sage Publications.

McGlinchey, S. (Ed.)(2022) Foundations of International Relations. London: Bloomsbury Academic.

Wilkinson, S. “Focus Group Methodology: a review.” International Journal of Social Research Methodology 1, no. 3: 181-203.

Selected shorter introductory texts available at https://www.e-ir.info/resources/international-relations-resources/

Selected interviews with IR scholars available at http://www.theory-talks.org/

Conditions for passing the course:

Assignments and grading:

1. Attendance and participation. Attendance and participation means coming to class prepared and actively participating in seminar discussions. Three in-class activities will constitute part of the grade. Students are entitled for maximum 2 absences, which have to be justified according to Code of Studies.

Weight in grade: 30 %

2. In-class or take-home exam (midterm). Instructor will announce at the beginning of the semester whether this will be an in-class exam, consisting of multiple choice and open ended questions, or a take home exam, in which case students would be assigned a specific research problem, and their task would be to use two separate methods that could help advance their understanding of the problem.

Weight in grade: 30 %

3. Research proposal and presentation. Students will submit a research proposal (5 standard pages), present it to their peers and lead a short Q&A session. Depending on the number of students in class and the school capacities, the proposals and presentations will be individual or group work. Students will receive detailed instructions in the first part of the semester.

Weight in grade: 40 %.

Students are entitled for 1 re-take of final paper. Students are entitled for maximum 2 absences, which have to be justified according to Code of Studies. Midterm exam and graded in-class activities can be retaken only in case of an excused absence.

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx: 0-59 points

Slovak and English

1. Introduction of the course and its participants. What is qualitative research and who needs it.

2. Research framework and research proposal. Relationship between method, theory and data.

3. Levels of Analysis in Politics and International Relations & European Studies. Qualitative research design and its role in understanding social relations and production of meaning.

4. Case study. Research problems and questions.

5. Comparative study. Choosing cases and establishing criteria for comparison.

6. Historical and narrative approaches in IR and European Studies.

7. Working with documents. Understanding online and offline archives. Discourse analysis.

8. Research interview. Types of interviews. Choosing and approaching the respondents.

9. Focus groups. Selection of participants, forms of leading the discussion. Evaluation of data.

10. Ethnography. Long-term fieldwork, participant observation, immersion. Role of the method in generating conceptual inputs for other methodologies.

11. Language and ethics. First round of presentations.

12. Wrap-up. Second round of presentations.

This course introduces students to guiding assumptions and basic techniques of qualitative research design. Students will have the opportunity to become familiar with a variety of strategies employed by scientists trying to understand the social and political world. They will deepen their understanding of basic elements of research framework, including a relationship between theory, method and their relevance for understanding of real-world problems. The techniques studied in the course include case study, process-tracing, comparative analysis, research interview, focus group and participant observation. The course consists of lectures and practical exercises, students are expected to come to class prepared – having done the required reading and being ready to provide constructive input in the seminars. Upon its completion, the course participants will get a better understanding of work of experienced scholars and will be able to use some of the research skills in their own work.

Recommended literature:

Judt, T.: Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945, Penguin Books 2005. (Basic rec. literature.)

(or: Judt, T.: Povojnová Európa. História po roku 1945. Slovart 2007.)

Kissinger, Henry: Diplomacy. Simon&Schuster, N.Y. 1994

(or: Kissinger, H.: Umění diplomacie. Prostor, 1997.)

Lowe, K.: The Savage Continent. Penguin Books, 2013.

(or: Lowe, K.: Krutý kontinent. Premedia Group, 2014.)

Crampton, R.J.: Eastern Europe in the Twentieth Century. Routledge, NY, 1994. (2nd, advanced edition, 1997 - Eastern Europe in the Twentieth Century – And After)

Veselý, Zd.: Dějiny mezinárodních vztahů. Plzeň, 2007.

Snyder, T.: Bloodlands – Europe between Hitler and Stalin. Basic Books, 2010.

Snyder, T.: On Tyranny – Twenty Lessons form the Twentieth Century. Penguin Books, 2017.

Garton Ash, T.: The Magic Lantern: The Revolution of 1989 Witnessed in Warsaw, Budapest, Berlin, and Prague. Random House, 1990.

Garton Ash, T.: In Europe's Name: Germany and the Divided Continent. Random House, 1993.

Dick, Ch. – Aldis, A.: Stredná a východná Európa: Problémy a perspektívy. SIMŠ, Bratislava, 2000.

Petőcz, K.: Helsinská konferencia (1975) a jej ľudskoprávne dimenzie. Bratislava, 2015.

Kaplan, K.: Pravda o Československu 1945-1948. Praha, Panorama. 1990. Pp. 5-22, 85-129.

Kaplan, K.: Československo v poválečné Evropě. Praha, Karolinum, 2004.

Rupnik, J. (ed.): The Western Balkans and the EU: ‘the hour of Europe’. EU Institute for Strategic Studies, 2011.

Gati, Ch.: Stroskotané ilúzie. Kalligram, 2006. Kapitola 5 a 6. (Pp. 182-278.)

Lipták, Ľ. Storočie dlhšie ako sto rokov. Kalligram 1999. (Pp. 118-141)

Bibó, I.: Bieda východoeurópskych malých štátov. Bratislava, Kalligram. 1997.

Bútora, M. et al. (ed.): Odkiaľ a kam. Dvadsať rokov samostatnosti. IVO, Kalligram. 2013

Any detailed hitorical atlas of Europe (world) showing developments of the period of late 19th century – till present day

The course is based on ongoing assessment and students are encouraged to continuously prepare for lectures and seminar sessions.

 participation on seminars (10 x 2 = 20 points)

o essay up to 3-4 pages – 40 points. Each student will chose a situation, consisting of describing the history of either a fictive or real person over a timespan of some 10-15 years, anytime within the period of 1938 – 2020. The task is to characterize, via the personal fate of that man or woman or their family the epoche they lived in, featuring some major political, social, economic or social phenomena, trends and developments. Students will have the possibility to develop or improve their stories while presenting them on seminars. At the end of the course they will deliver them in written form.

o active participation in the simulated meeting of the Parlamentary Assembly of CoE, representing a country or a group of countries, taking stand in an urgent issue of European concern – 40 points.

Students are entitled to maximum 2 absences, which have to be justified according to the Code of Studies.

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx: 0-59 points

Slovak and English

Course contents:

1. Introduction. (Geo)political developments in Europe (world) over the past 200 years. Shift of major power centers, major political and social trends. Events leading to WWII.

2. WWII – character, major developments. Holocaust. Legacy of the War. The magnitude of human tragedy.

3. Legacy of the war: humanitarian crisis - migration, starvation, black market, prisoners of the war, problems of housing, retaliations, revenge, deportations, population exchanges

4. New international order: UN, Bretton-Woods institutions, GATT, Marshall Plan and the fundaments of a new Europe: Marshall Plan → OECD, Council of Europe, NATO, European Communities. Beginning of the cold war, erection of the “iron curtain”. Arms race and nuclear proliferation

5. Legacy of the war and of colonialism: Europe and the outside world: India, Palestine, Indochina, Suez, Middle-East, Alger, Africa

6. Character of the communism – cases of Hungary 1956, Czechoslovakia 1968 and Poland 1981.

Mid-term summary and assessment: Simulation of a Plenary meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (or the OSCE). Students form groups and debate about an urgent security and human rights situation in Europe.

7. Developments and trends in culture, arts, music, literature, architecture, vogue, science & technology and sports

8. History of the European integration (=history of the EU) from early 50-ies to present times

9. Helsinki process, détente, Charter 77. End of cold war. Collapse of communisms, emerging of new democracies in the CEE.

10. After 1990. The Balkan Wars and their legacy. Resurrection of populism, nationalism and xenophobia in Eastern Europe. How solid are the fundaments of democratic institutions, rule of law, and human rights?

11. Europe facing new global challenges: migration, climate change, biodiversity, desertification, environment, AI, effect of social media, aspirations of the millennial generations & and their prospects, multiculturalism, gender issues. How to preserve Europe’s (EU’s) position in the world.

12. Final summary and assessment

After successful passing the course Postwar – History of Europe after 1945 students will be able to put major events, developments and trends of the 20th century, especially of the Postwar period into a broader historical, political, social and cultural context. They should be prepared to be able to draw lessons from the past with a view to present global and European trends and developments. They should also be better prepared to properly assessing and evaluating some social phenomena that they are confronted with in their everyday life, and live up to some fundamental human concepts like democracy, dignity, fairness, solidarity, freedom and justice. Students should be able to formulate their own answers and proposals to some burning issues of contemporary politics and social development and should be motivated to active democratic citizen’s participation.

Conditions for passing the course:

10% Active participation and class preparedness

20 % Group presentation

20% Seminar activities

50% Final simulation

Rating: A: 91-100 points; B: 81-90 points; C: 73-80 points; D: 66-72 points; E: 60-65 points; Fx: 0-59 points

English

Course contents:

Introductory session

International Relations and Diplomacy

International Relations and Diplomacy: Historical Development

From “Old” to “New” Diplomacy

The 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations

Consular Diplomacy

Public Diplomacy

“Anything” Diplomacy?

Track-Two Diplomacy

Diplomatic Language

Diplomatic Protocol

– 13. Final Simulation

Learning outcomes:

Upon completion of the course, students will have a solid introduction to the main problematics of International Relations and diplomacy. Because the course also has a heavily practical orientation, upon completion of the course students will have appropriate tools for the professional and academic performance, whether in the area of analysis of international relations and foreign policy, or the direct application in their further career (in the State apparatus, the private sector, NGOs).