The process of urbanization in the modern era has reflected the economic differences, the social and aesthetic customs, and the political nuances of the European nations and of Europe as a whole. Students consider numerous issues of city planning and growth. Topics include patterns of cultural distinctiveness, the influence of ethnic and religious concerns, and the political implications apparent in architectural design, neighborhood development, housing policies, and public space. Conducted in English. Explores the history and development of Czech and Slovak cinema.
Film screenings supplement the lectures.
Conducted in English. Although flattered and eager to join NATO and the European Union, Central European nations remain ambivalent about the role they will be asked to play politically, financially, and militarily. In this course, taught by Josef Zieleniec, former Czech foreign minister, students examine the issues raised by the transition of Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic from formal membership in the Warsaw Pact to new membership in NATO and the European Union. Conducted in English. An examination of the intellectual and artistic developments that defined dissent in Eastern Europe in the 1970s and 1980s.