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The course examines the political and social history of Central Europe from 1900-1990 and the subsequent historiography that has sought to explain the ‘derailed’ history of Central Europe in this period. Thus a central theme of this course will be the failure of liberal democracy to take route in Central Europe, and the fascism, authoritarianism and communism that arose in its place. The polities to be studied include the Habsburg Monarchy, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Austria and Romania. Topics include the last years and break-up of the Habsburg Monarchy, the First World War, the peace settlement, democracy, fascism and authoritarianism in the successor-states, foreign policy predicaments and the rise of Nazi Germany, the Second World War, the communist takeovers, high and low communism, resistance and compliance, 1989 and ‘the changes’. The title of the course derives from Ivan Berend’s The Crisis Zone of Europe (1986).

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Aims

To introduce students to the history of the lands of Central Europe during the last 100 years.

To enhance students’ ability to understand and to appreciate how people have existed, acted and thought in the past in the context of the complexity and diversity of historical situations, events and intellectual outlooks.

To enhance students’ ability to use and evaluate texts and other source materials both critically and empathetically, as well as appreciating the limits and challenges of the extant record. The critical evaluation of texts should include an understanding of the questions which historians ask and why they do so. By the end of the course students should have read and mastered a wide selection of historical works.

To enhance students’ ability to frame and develop an argument in a sustained manner. Arguments should be structured, coherent, relevant, and concise, and should take into account all aspects of a given problem.

Objectives

By the end of the course, you should have acquired:

1. A body of historical knowledge relating to Central Europe since 1900. This knowledge will relate not only to the facts of history but also to broader concepts and explanatory tools.

2. Enhanced generic skills: these may be defined as:

1. self-direction and self-discipline
2. independence of mind, and initiative
3. the ability to work with others and to have respect for the reasoned views of others
4. the ability to identify, gather, deploy and organize evidence, data and information; and familiarity with appropriate means of achieving this
5. analytical ability and the capacity to consider and solve problems, including complex problems
6. structure, clarity and fluency of expression, both written and oral
7. intellectual maturity and integrity
8. empathy and imaginative insight
9. ability to organize time, work and personal resources to optimal effect.