The invention of Central and Eastern Europe – the intellectual formation between East and West

ogólnouniwersyteckie

Znajomość języka angielsiego na poziomie B1

CEE is not a geographical concept. It is an idea, project of one’s identity and particular way of thinking. CEE is rather personal intellectual choice than physical tangible substance. The course aims to present the history of the CEE concept in the intellectual discourse. Also we would explore how it influenced the construction of national identity in the countries of the region, examine the contemporary vision of CEE and try to understand its significance. Students will have a chance to work on their own by conducting their own research on the issues of CEE in different displays of literature, fine arts, architecture, film or any other field depending on their interests. Therefore, this course will be intellectual discussion and adventurous journey through non-geographic Central and Eastern Europe.

CEE is not a geographical concept. It is an idea, project of one’s identity and particular way of thinking. CEE is rather personal intellectual choice than physical tangible substance. There is a well known saying describing the core of CEE “Show me your Central Europe and I will tell you who you are”.

CEE was invented by intellectuals and opinion leaders in order to be a part of the general European identity frame. In 1980-1990 CEE was a convenient chance to distance from the Soviet Union and its sphere of influence and identity heritage for former soviet bloc countries and former USSR republics. However, initially the concept of CEE entered the discourse as German “Mitteleuropa” and was created by Friedrich Naumann at early XX century. However, non-geographical division of Europe on the East and West has its origins in the times of Enlightenment, when the Eastern Europe started to be associated for intellectuals with periphery and backwardness. On the other hand, previous mental divisions of the European continent substantially differed and Eastern Europe was not a synonym of a civilizational delay and backwardness.

During this course we will learn the history of the CEE concept in the intellectual discourse. Also we will explore how it influenced the construction of national identity in the countries of the region, examine the contemporary visions of CEE and try to understand its significance for nowadays. Students will have a chance to work on their own by conducting their own research on the issues of CEE in different displays of literature, fine arts, architecture, film or any other field depending on their interests. Therefore, this course will be intellectual discussion and adventurous journey through non-geographic Central and Eastern Europe.

Antoni Podraza: Europa Galicija Regiony. Pisma historyczne. Kraków: Księgarnia Akademicka 2006.

Jurij Andruchowycz. Diabeł tkwi w serze; przeł. Katarzyna Kotyńska, Ola Hnatiuk, Renata Rusnak. Wołowiec: Wydawnictwo Czarne, 2007.

Tomasz Zarycki: Ideologies of Eastness in Central and Eastern Europe. London-New York : Routledge 2014.

Hnatiuk Ola: Pożegnanie z imperium : ukraińskie dyskusje o tożsamości. Lublin: Wydaw. Uniwersytetu Marii Curie-Skłodowskiej 2003.

Andrzej Stasiuk, Jurij Andruchowycz. Moja Europa. Dwa eseje o Europie zwanej Środkową. Wydawnictwo: Czarne.

Milan Kundera. The tragedy of central Europe. The New York Review of Books (pre-1986); Apr 26, 1984; 31, 007

Larry Wolff. Inventing Eastern Europe: The Map of Civilization on the Mind of the Enlightenment. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 1994.

George Schöpflin and Nancy Wood (eds.). In Search of Central Europe. Cambridge: Polity in Association with Basil Blackwell, 1989

Ash T.G. Pomimo i wbrew. Eseje o Europie Środkowej. London: Polonia Fund Book, 1990.

Szűcs J. Trzy Europy. Lublin: Inst. Europy środkowo-Wschodniej, 1995.

Zyliński L. Niemieckie spory o Mitteleuropę. Res Rublica. 1989, №6. S. 16-22.

Goworowska-Puchata. I. Mitteleuropa. Rdzeń Starego Kontynentu. Wyd-wo Adam Marszałek. Torun, 1997

Siedem granic, osiem kultur i Europa. red. Gołębiowski B. Łomża: Oficyna Wzdawnicza „Stopka”, 2001.

Michnik A. Myśli wschodnieuropejskie. Diabel naszego czasu: publicystyka z lat 1985-1994. Wybór i wstęp Romanowski A., Warszawa: Nowa, 1995. S.162-169.

- student has wide knowledge about the intellectual history of CEE

- student is acquainted with the key texts written by the opinion leaders influencing the creation of the CEE concept

- student obtains knowledge in the field of mental mapping and non-geographical division of the geographical space.

- student is able to analyze the discourse on the discussed issue and present his/her own opinion.

Final grade depends on:

- Presence on the lectures

- Activity during the lectures

- Written assignments

- Final paper