1. Introduction – course theme, structure and recommended literature (18.2.) 2. The year of change 1989/1990 - the Nature and the Positions of the Individual Communist Parties (25.2.) Reading: Kitschelt, H., Mansfeldová, Z., Post-Communist Party Systems: Competition, Representation and Inter-Party Cooperation,Cambridge:CambridgeUniversity Press, 1999, pp. 19-42 a 383-407. 3. Introduction to the history of communism (3.3.) Reading: Meyer, A. Communism, New York: Random House, 2013, pp. 3-51. 4. Model Case of the Italian Communist Party (10.3.) Reading: Hellman, S., „The Italian Communist Party between Berlinguer and the Seventeenth Congress“, In: Italian Politics Review, vol. 1, Ed. Leonardi, R., Nanetti, R., London: Frances Pinter, 1986. Weinberg, L., The Transformation of Italian Communism, New Brunswick: New Brunswick Press, 1995, pp. 45-94. 5. Transformation of the French and the Spanish Communists (17.3.) Reading: Perottino, M., „Change and Continuity of the French Communist Party“, in: Trajectories of the Left, ed. Kopeček, L., Brno: DSCS 2005, pp. 68-81. Verge, T., “The Spanish United Left – The Belated and Troublesome Transition from Policy to Office-seeking”, In: Left Parties in National Governments, ed. Olsen, J., Koss, M., Hough, D., Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010, pp. 87-105. 6. Survival Strategies of the Communist Successor Parties in Central Europe (24.3.) Reading: Ishyiama, J.T., Bozóki, A., “Adaptation and Change: Characterizing the Survival Strategies of the Communist Successor Parties”, Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics, Vol. 17, No. 3, 2001, pp.33-50. Grzymala-Busse, A., Redeeming the Communist Past,Cambridge:CambridgeUniversity Press, 2002, pp. 19-69. 7. Development of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (31.3.) Reading: Handl, V. and A. Goffin, “Czech Communists and the Crisis: Between Radical Alternative and Pragmatic Europeanisation”, in March, L. and D. Keith, Europe´s Radical Left: From Marginality to Mainstream?, London: Rowman, 2016, pp. 211-230. 8. Situation in Slovakia and Poland – Development of the Party of the Democratic Left and in the Polish Successor Party (7.4.) Reading: Handl, V., Leška, V., Between Emulation and Adjustment: External Influences on Programmatic Change in the Slovak SDL, Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics, Vol. 21, No. 1, 2005, s. 109-126. Skiba, L., The People, the Programme and the Governments of the SLD, Trajectories of the Left, ed. Kopeček, L., Brno: DSCS 2005, pp. 118-129. 9. Situation of Other Radical Left Parties in Europe (14.4.). Reading: March, L., „Radical Left Success before and after Great Recession“, in March, L. and D. Keith, Europe´s Radical Left: From Marginality to Mainstream?, London: Rowman, 2016, pp. 27-50. 10. Discussion with a member of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (21.4.) 11. Development of the PDS/Die Linke (28.4.) Reading: Hough, D., “From Pariah to Prospective Partner? The German Left Party´s Winding Path towards Government”, in: Left Parties in National Governments, ed. Olsen, J., Koss, M., Hough, D.,Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010, pp. 138-155. 12. Closing Seminar – Discussion About the Success or the Failure of the Analysed Communist Parties (5.5.) 13. First term of the written exam (12.5.)
Up to the 1st May the topics of the essays must be reported; the size is 5-10 pages. Deadline of these essays is 31.5. and is the condition for doing the written exam.
The academic course analyse the historical development and the transformation of the West European communist parties as well as the successor parties in the post-soviet bloc. The main attention is focused on the model case of the Italian Communist Party and on the integration of its transformation to the general transformation model.
It will be also analysed the connection between the West and the East European communists and especially "the export" of political and ideological models from the West to the East. Within the course is also planned the debate with one of the members of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia.