Politics in Russia/USSR, Eastern Europe and the Balkans in the 20th century

Pre-requisites: Finished undergraduate studies and knowledge of a foreign language

Course objectives: To develop general and specific knowledge, capabilities and skills for studying the event and phenomena in eastern european modern political history, especially of Russia/USSR and the Balkans. To prepared students for comprehensive and comparative independent academic research.

Course description: This course is devoted to the study of eastern European history, especially of Russia/USSR and the Balkans, by analyzing the most important historical and political aspects of development of the states in these territories during the 20th century. A special focus will be put on analyzing political and diplomatic occurrences. We will cover important events (revolutions, turnarounds and revolts), inner political processes (ideological and political division and civil conflicts) and the dynamics of diplomatic changes, cooperation and conflict, eastern European and Balkan states with Russia/USSR, as well as eastern European and Balkan states with Western Europe. We will also examine the problems and theories behind conflicting national ideologies.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to factually, conceptually and problematically understand, analyze and edit scientific problems, issues and phenomena in the political history of Eastern Europe, especially Russia/USSR and the Balkans. Writing and defending a master's work in this area of study.

Literature/Reading:

• Mihail Geler, Aleksandar Nekrič, Utopija na vlasti. Istorija Sovjetskog Saveza, Podgorica 2000
• L.S. Stavrianos, Balkan posle 1453, Beograd, 2005
• G. Boffa, Povijest Sovjetskog saveza I-II, Rijeka 1985
• Filip Longvort, Stvaranje Istočne Evrope, Beograd 2002
• Zarobljenici nacionalne ideje. Politički portreti lidera Istočne Evrope, Beograd 1996
• Andrej Mitrović, Prodor na Balkan 1908-1918, Beograd, 1982
• Milan Ristović, Nemački „novi poredak“ i Jugoistočna Evropa 1940/41-1944/45. Planovi i praksa, Beograd, 1991
• Stevan K. Pavlović, Istorija Balkana 1804-1945, Beograd 2001
• Barbara Jelavich, History of the Balkans, 2, Twentieth Century, Cambridge, 1983
• Miroslav Jovanović, “Staljinizam”, u: Istorijski glasnik 1-2 (1993), 103-119.