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The fall of the Iron Curtain and the collapse of communism in Central and Eastern Europe represent a dramatic turning point in contemporary political history. The „annus mirabilis“ of 1989 opened the way to political, economic, and social changes not anticipated, even weeks before the changes swept the region. This course will focus on the international dimension of transition in Central Europe (Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, and Slovakia), which had strong cultural and institutional ties to Western Europe before the post-World War II and the subsequent communist takeover, and thus logically embarked on the path toward re-joining key European and Transatlantic organizations. The course will cover the evolution of relations between Central European countries, the European Community/Union, and NATO. Special attention will be paid to the key events and issues forming the CE-EU relations from 1989 until the present, including the Association Agreements, entry negotiations, lessons from previous enlargements, the impact of eastward enlargement, etc. The course will also deal with the security dimension of the relationship covering all relevant developments connected with the EU and NATO.

This course will be taught by doc. Daniel Marek. To enrol please contact Marek Sekanina (marek.sekanina@upol.cz).