Syllabus
http://www.cet-prague.cz/info/?action=changeCategory&category=Sylabus
Required reading materials (the Reader) will be sent to the enrolled students via e-mail as a pdf file.
One copy of the reader will also be available in the CET Library.
Annotation
The Central Europe has been at the center of the tumultuous changes of the 20th century--from the end of World
War I, to the emergence of independent nation states, to World War II and the Holocaust, to Communism and its end, and finally, to its incorporation into the European Union. The region also boasts a rich cultural heritage in the artistic, musical and intellectual spheres. This course takes place during a weeklong traveling seminar to Poland,
Czech Republic and Austria; and on a four-day excursion to Hungary. The course touches upon the political, historical, economic and cultural developments in the regions visited, and serves as a complement to the curricula of the Jewish and Central European Studies programs. The themes and course content vary depending on the program in which the student is enrolled, but serve as an opportunity for the student to merge their learning in the classroom with their personal experiences living in Central Europe and their observation of the sites visited on the traveling seminar. Topics may include: the history of Central Europe; the Holocaust; Anti-Semitism; Polish-Jewish relations; Central European Jewish culture; Roma history and culture; EU economy; Central Europe under
Communism and post-Communism; history of art; urban development; and religious history. The course will combine meetings, lectures and readings in Prague prior to the traveling seminar as well as experiential learning throughout the trips in the form of site visits, lectures, and museum visits. All lectures and meetings are mandatory.