The introduction of social and political reforms by the monarch and his government had a long, respectable tradition in Prussia, Austria and Russia. Austria, like its rivals, had to face a dilemma in the 19th century. If wide-ranging social and political reforms were carried out in order to shore up the empire's great power status, the autocratic position of the ruler could be jeopardised internally. If, on the other hand, in order to preserve the monarch's autocratic powers, radical reforms were dodged, Austria's international position would be eroded. The course will consider the monarch's experiments with bureaucratic rule and with 'Federalist', 'Centralist', and 'Dualist' constitutional forms between the 1848 revolutions and the collapse of the Empire in 1918.
Violence is one of the key issues of the Balkans.
In fact, it has become a defining stereotype for the region. This course aims to look critically at the concept and reality of violence in the Balkans. For this purpose, an interdisciplinary approach will be vital in order to study processes of violence, conflict and its resolution in various contexts. Approaches and attitudes towards conflict negotiation and resolution will be explored on local, regional, and international policy-making levels, with attention paid to local and regional resonance. The course is available to students with or without knowledge of Russian.