CEECE Courses in Prague at Charles University
All courses are 3 semester hours of credit. With the exception of Czech language courses, all courses are considered upper division and should transfer as 300-400 level courses. Graduate level credit is also available. Professors will assign additional work and research to graduate students.
Czech Language Intensive - Level I- This is a two week required intensive course for new international students. The course focuses on acquisition of basic communicatioal skills in the Czech language, both writen and spoken. Introduction to Czech linguistics and adjusting to the Czech cultural environment are also covered.
Czech Language Intensive -Level II- This is a two week required intensive course for new international students with prior knowledge of Czech. The course focuses on acquisition of intermediate communicatioal skills in the Czech language, both writen and spoken. Advanced Czech linguistics and adjusting to the Czech cultural environment are also covered..
Czech Language for Everyday Use-Level I-The course is designed to teach students to communicate in basic situations of social life, to discuss everyday matters. At the same time they will be learning the necessary grammar. In addition, they will be given snippets of background knowledge on Czech culture, the language itself and on the society. Course objectives: - everyday conversation – listening and speaking - basic grammar and vocabulary - pronunciation practice - reading of simple texts with comprehension
Czech Language for Everyday Use-Level II- Students entering the Lower or Upper Intermediate Czech class should be able to communicate in Czech on the basic level. That means to give the information about himself/herself, to express his/her needs, likes and dislikes, to communicate in Czech in a shop, in a restaurant, in a train station, to make a telephone call in Czech etc. Everybody should know how to read the Czech letters and how to write the Czech words he/she uses. Students entering the class should know all the seven cases of Nouns, Adjectives and Pronouns passively and most of them actively. They are expected to know the Present tense of verbs, the Past tense, the Future tense of the Imperfective verbs and also the most frequent Perfective verbs.
20th Century Central European History: A Personal View- Students will gain an understanding of the demise of Central European empires, the rise of aggressive ideological politics and the road to totalitarianism. Not only should students gain a factual knowledge of the times on which the course focuses, but through the dramatically conceived lectures, factual yet moving readings, site visits and confrontations with participants in the study of historic events, the course should open for students “the way from the brain to heart.” Topics: The course focuses primarily on the following topics: a) World War I – a war of empires and states b) World War II – an ideological clash c) The Holocaust d) The evolution of communism and its destruction: the clash of communism vs. nationalism e) The cold War – the polarization f) The problems of ex-communist countries – the “no-man’s” land.
American Literature from European Perspectives- The objective of this course is to read American and Czech authors side by side, from Poe to Topol. The link is provided by personal histories of the authors, acknowledged influence and inspiration. Further, the theme of dreams, failed dreams and dreams turned into nightmares will provide a unifying link, that will allow for a close-reading focused on comparing the multiple ways in which a single theme may be introduced in a literary text. At the same time, in-class discussions will be based on the many associations that dreams traditionally carry, from the deeply personal, over political and national, to the abstractly theoretical ones. Covering some of the core authors of both cultures in roughly chronological order, the course offers an introduction both into modern history of literature and into what might be called thinking literature.
Black and White Photography- This course is based on a dialogue between the teacher and students. Because the development of photography has always been closely connected to both the technical and creative spheres, in this course the theoretical and historical aspects of photography are introduced through practical exercises. Photography will be seen in lectures, seminars and practical demonstrations as a part of visual mass media at the dawn of 21st century. The class is structured through the parallel study of the functions of cameras used in various situations, darkroom techniques, studio methods, the development of aesthetics; and last but not least, the composition of the photographic image. If you complete the course successfully you will probably have by the end of the semester a small portfolio of your pictures consisting of: a photogram, a study of textures of different subjects, a still life (or product-image), a reportage [documentation] of some Prague unique event, a reportage and an official portrait of some person, a self-portrait, a landscape or Prague city landscape, and others. LAB FEE 2500 Czech Crowns per semester. WE PROVIDE: Chemistry for film developing and printing, Students have to bring their own SLR camera, buy their own films and paper
Contemporary Central-European Politics- This course is meant for students with different academic backgrounds but with strong interest in Central European developments during and after the democratic revolutions 1989. To understand Central European developments since 1989 it is necessary - according to our many years´ teaching experience - to get acquainted with main turning points of modern political history of respective countries of Central European geopolitical space on one hand and to undertake some comparative research into similarities and differences of such developments on the other hand. Lectures and discussions focus on the democratic revolutions 1989, the institutional and international framework of the transition process and specific problems of democratization in Central Europe. Special attention will be paid to the effects of the enlargement of the European Union towards Central European countries after May 2004.
Contemporary Central-European Politics: Transformation of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic- The transformation of Czechoslovakia and later of the Czech Republic from a communist satellite state into a European Union member state is an exciting story, but it is also an intellectual challenge. It encompassed profound change of political, social, cultural and economic structures but it also meant radical change in people’s lives. The course will start with a short survey of communist rule concentrating on the role of the party, propaganda and political ritual, but looking also at the daily life under communism. Next two radical political changes will be discussed: The Velvet Revolution of 1989 and the Velvet Divorce of 1992-1993; these will be taken as models of change with much larger implications for the whole Central and Eastern Europe. Following the discussion of key political institutions and parties, the course will focus on selected social issues: gender inequality and discrimination against Roma minority. In the socio-economic part of the course, two interrelated topics will be analysed: the theory and practice of the “transition” and the integration into the EU in the context of global economy.
Contemporary Jewish Religious Thoughts- This course will provide the students with information, how Judaism was shaped by the thoughts of Torah - in large the whole Hebrew Bible, sometimes mistakenly called Old Testament. In this course we will recognize, what so lucidly said Martin Buber - "for us, Jews, the Old Testament is neither Old, neither Testament". Torah, the Tree Of Life, shaped the mind of Jewish generations throughout the whole existence of Jewish civilization.Torah was mistakenly translated by the term "law". It is true, that Torah contains laws, commandments, even some prohibitions, but first of all, it has been the source of life, joy and happiness for the Jewish nation throughout the generations. In this particular course we will discover, in the first half of the semester, the traditional interpretations of Torah, in the second we will focus on modern Jewish thinkers, for whom the Torah became, what is written in the Bible - ubahem nehege jomam u lajla. "And you will live through them day and night". This course is for everybody, who is interested in the Jewish and Hebrew religious tradition, some knowledge of Hebrew is welcomed, but is not a condition to take part in the course.
Czech Music-The course is conceived as brief history of Czech classic (art) music from Middle Ages to c. 1970’s discussing the main features, events, composers and works of Czech music from the theoretical as well historical perspective. Every lesson consists of lecture, listening (CD/Video) and analysing music and discussions.
Czech Theatre: Modern Czech Theatre as a Mirror of Society-The goal of the course is to provide basic understanding of 20th Century Czech theatre (and the beginning of new Millenium) and drama, to show important periods, innovations, movements and tendencies in this field – theatre work, drama, scenography, acting, directing etc. in Central European context. The course will inform about importance of theatre for political and social events in this specific region. This will be demonstrated through rich visual material as DVD, video and other iconographic material, reading plays, visiting interesting productions and important exhibitions of modern art and scenography. We will study concrete work of many important theatre personalities – directors Hilar, Frejka, Krejca etc., scenographers as Hofman, Tröster, Svoboda, specially important avantgard theatremaker E.F.Burian (his concept of synthesis of all theatre disciplines in theatre work, using new medias on stage allready in 1930th) or modern clowns Voskovec and Werich. We´ll read plays written by most important playwrights like Karel Capek or Vaclav Havel as well as new works of new tallents. During the course we´ll have chance to talk with 2 personalities - scenographer or director, or playwrights during their „guest lectures“. Each lesson consists of lecture, visual demonstration or reading of concrete part of the play and experienced discussion. Students should bring their own ideas, questions and participace actively in the program of the course Important part of the course is visiting interesting contemporary productions which will be discussed at the beginnind of the class, opened by student.
Czech Theatre: Scenography (Set and Costume Design) - free zone between art and theatre-The goal of the course is at first to clarify to American students what is meant in modern European theatre terminology the word scenography. What scenography is? That will be demonstrated on few important personalities of scenographers who took great deal on development of Czech modern theatre in European (or world) context, who brought new vision into scenography in many theatre cultures in Europe, esp. e.g. Great Britain etc. This will be studied with help of visual materials as DVD, video, photographs and other iconography. We will study concrete work of few important scenographers of Twenties Century from 1920s up to contemporary days - as Vlastislav Hofman, František Tröster, Josef Svoboda, Jaroslav Malina and others in close cooperation with important personalities of directors as Hilar, Frejka, Krejca etc. Special chapter is personality of E.F.Burian and his vision of theatre as a synthesis of all disciplines on stage. Each lesson consists of lecture, visual demonstration and experienced discussion. Important part of the course will be visiting of art exhibitions and collections of modern scenography (set and costume design) as well as most interesting theatre events. Collection of Czech modern scenography have been just now on tour through USA and shown in many cities over the world in the past. Josef Svoboda is well known in whole world as a scenographer and a co-establisher of Laterna Magica. During the course is planned guest lecture of Jaroslav Malina, scenographer (set and costume designer), who will bring experiences from concrete theatre work.
Czech and European Art and Architecture-The course is a survey of styles, trends and movements focusing on the fine arts and architecture in Prague and Czech Lands against the background of European influences. It covers the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque times, up to Modernism and the Contemporary art scene. Special attention will be paid to the unique characteristics and developments of art (e.g. Prague Castle, Baroque churches, Czech cubism) and to the most glorious periods in the history of Czech Lands (era of Charles IV, Rudolf II). Tours, field trips and visits to museums and galleries are a substantial part of the course.
Czech and European History- The course will provide the students with basic knowledge of the Czech political, social and cultural history. Though the course concentrates on the modern history of Czechoslovakia, it is using the example of medieval and early modern Prague to provide insight into the earlier periods of Czech history, which also serves to problematise the notion of “national history” as a history of national state. The course is designed as a seminar based on reading and discussion of stimulating texts often selected from the works of leading Czech novelists, such as Hašek, Kafka or Kundera giving thus the students taste of the Czech literary tradition. An integral part of the class will be several field trips as well as screening and discussion of several historical films illuminating on the one hand the given historical period and on the other the most important chapter of Czechoslovak film history - so called “New Wave”.
Czech(oslovak) Cinema and Hollywood: Transatlantic Cinematic Relations from 1930´s to the Present- The course explores the multidimensional cultural, economic and political relationship between the Czech(oslovak) film industry and the American film industry (Hollywood) from early 1930s to the present. The course examines various cinematic spheres such as: the transformation of classical Hollywood genres within a national cultural and social environment (Lemonade Joe, Hop Side Story), the cinematic recycling of the American pop culture (Who wants to Kill Jessii?), the development of the film production system and the possible parallels between Hollywood studio system and the national studio system (Barrandov studios in the past and their position now), the notion of the cultural exchange with respect to work of several leading film authors (Gustav Machatý, Miloš Forman, Jiří Brdečka, Jan Svěrák…), or the Czechoslovak Oscar winners and nominees and their wider political implications. By exploring these spheres, the course looks at the most interesting and significant points of interaction between Czech(oslovak) film as a national cinema with its generic, thematic and production specifics and Hollywood as the ultimate transnational cinema. Every class will consist of screening of a whole film that will be followed by an analysis and discussion of it in connection to the assigned readings.
Czech/European Culture-Alternative Literature, Music, and Lifestyles- Students will survey the semiotic battle within Czech culture and society. Starting with the roots (and rhizomes) of trends and traditions in literature, music, theatre, film and art as well as pub and café subcultures, etc. we will observe their transformations in time and place. We will consider the introduction and proliferation of the postmodern topics of ecology, multiculturalism, gender and queer studies. As visual culture is our everyday life, we will attempt an interpretation of local advertising and the reading of streets. We will study the rise of cultural activism in many forms (including squatting, punk rock, anarchist and sprayer subcultures) and trace the influence of expatriate communities. Discussions exploring new directions in Czech literature, based on works of the hottest and hippest writers, film and rock music and visits to topic-related literary and music events are an essential part of the course.
Czech/European Culture-Reading Prague: Literature-Architecture-Cultural History- The course will survey Prague’s history, focusing on the lives and aspirations of its multinational inhabitants as they metamorphosed in the course of the last twelve centuries. It proposes to read the city as a text and to treat literature and architecture as both expressions and symptoms of its evolution. Throughout the course, literature and architecture will be explored through a critical reading of the motivations, techniques and achievements which are at play therein.
Czech/European Culture-Readings in Czech/Bohemian Culture/From Kafka to Kundera- The course will cover the development of Czech and Central European literature in the modern era. As a central issue, it will focus on the notion of identity and its transformations through the 20th century historical context: 1) The notion of the collective national identity in the 19th century and its shifts into local, ethical, or religious modifications (National Revival writings, Jirasek, Neruda, Meyrink); 2) The appearance of "men without qualities" after the turn of the century as a specific product of Central European modernism (Kafka, Hasek); 3) The era of building up the state: identification with a state-based society construct (Capek); 4) Void identity as an enforced totalitarian effect: Holocaust writings and texts responding to the first phase of building up Communism (Pavel, Margolius-Kovaly); 5) Artificial identity as a social/cultural product (Havel, Hrabal, Kundera); 6) Postmodern identity as a palimpsest-like construct (Topol).
Der tschechische Film im Fokus (in German)- Die Kursteilnehmer sollen anhand konkreter Beispieler Phänomene und Persönlichkeiten des tschechischen Kinos kennenlernen. Jeder Fokus wird eine historische Einleitung in das Thema, eine Filmvorführung und eine Diskussion begleiten.
Digital Culture and Art-Digital art, net art, social software and other experiments present the creative aspects and ambitions of the new information technologies. They prove that the technologies not only control our lives, as many dystopian theories conclude, but can become the active tools with which we shape our culture, community, but also our personal lives. We will look closer at the strategies and the aesthetic values involved in these artistic experiments and their relation to different issues in philosophy of technology. New media art connects the different machines, organisms and social structures and builds hybrid collectives that transgress the gap between what is natural, social and artificial or “mechanical”. Special attention will be given Czech and Slovak new media artists.
Does Central Europe Exist? Creating and Crossing Borders-During the course we will try to look for an answer to Milan Kundera´s question concerning the ontology of Central Europe: does it really exist? The stress will be put on the literary production of the post-war era but the social, cultural, esthetical and political aspects of creating this construct will be discussed as well. The main emphasis will be laid on the notion of a border. The national literary traditions and problems represented in the course: Czech, Polish, Hungarian and Jewish.
Economy: Global Economy- Globalization constitutes integration of national economies into the international economy through trade, foreign direct investment (by MNC), capital flows, international flows of workers, flows of technology and humanity generally. The course covers not only the globalization of economy and related topics how to increase the performance of the world economy, but analyzes the different aspects of the globalization of culture and environment. The course ends with the prognosis of future preservation of sustainable development. The aim of the course is to help students to understand the process of globalization and its influence on the world and European economy. Which is the role of MNC its creation and functioning? It deals with the process of cross-cultural communication and its importance for the future not only for managers but also for million of employees. Case studies, internet and articles from press are used for in order to support active participation of the students.
Economy: Recent Economic Development- There are 3 main blocks in the course: 1. Transition reform from the CPE to the market oriented economy (the CR like the other transitional countries seems to be a sort of laboratory where the very basic issues of the market fundamentals have been verified.) 2. Integration into the EU (This might be understand also as a special period of the transition reform but it illustrates economic aspects of the European integration, too). 3. Present economic situation will be studied on the real data base, examining the CR as a place for doing business.
Eroticism, Power, and Fate in the Cinema of Central Europe- This course will look at a series of films from Central Europe (including present day Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia) from the silent era until the present day. Primary areas of focus are: the pre-WWII period, the various “New Waves” of the 1960s and 1970s, and developments since 1989. The course should provide an overview of the cinematic traditions in Central Europe in historical and political context, with specific focus on the themes of eroticism, power, and fate in these films. Beginning with the assumption that all three of these concepts are somehow interrelated, we will discuss how each film approaches this thematic constellation and how cinematic the treatment of these themes has developed over time and throughout the region. In this analysis, we will always keep in mind the political-economical conditions (both nationally and between nations) in which the films were made and consider the significance of these films within “Central Europe.” Since no previous experience in film studies is assumed, the first few sessions will also function as an introduction to film terminology and interpretation. Throughout the course we will also touch on various elements of film theory and modes of film analysis.
Film - Eastern European Cinema-The aim of the course is to show the most important trends and movements in the history of post war East European cinematography and also to put the films within their historical (political and cultural) context. The topics are not in a chronological order; each lecture is focused on a particular national cinematography. During the course students will watch selected feature films in their entirety.
Film - Identity and Containment in Czech Cinema after 1989- This course is focused on reading and analyzing Czech culture and modes of its self-representation through contemporary film. We will focus mainly on the films of the so called period of transition (roughly films made after 1989), when Czech film industry can be approached not only as a industry in search of new economic, aesthetic and thematic models, but as well as a mode of cultural production relentlessly trying to define and re-define (and at the same time valorize and re-valorize) characteristic features of Czech national identity. Czech cinema in the 1990s can be read as a symptomatic “art of transition”; and it offers a very suitable material for a critical analysis of the national self-image. Several national myths and self-contained representations will be analyzed in current both popular and art films – the image of “innate suffering” of the Czech nation in the so called “looser” film, the myth of Czech dove-like nature in “kind, humane comedies”, the everyday heroism and absence of traditional heroes in historical films, etc.
Film- Adaptations after Milan Kundera’s and Bohumil Hrabal’s Literary Works- The course consists in comparing novels or short stories written by Kundera and Hrabal with their film adaptations. The students must individually read the literary sources, whilest the films are going to be screened during the course: each screening is supposed to last around 90 minutes. The films and the literary sources are to be commented not only in the following 90 minutes of lecturing and discussions with the students, but also during the projection itself, as it is important to explain to the students certain symbols or other elements of auctorial poetics even while the running of the respective scene in the film.
Film: Czech Film-The aim of the course is to show the most important trends and moments in the history of Czech cinematography and also to put the films within their historical (political and cultural) context. The topics are not in a chronological order because the „reverse motion“ arrangement helps to illustrate some specific aspects in the development of Czech cinematography. The historical facts and artistic and theoretical (ideological respectively) ideas are explained using specific examples from the cinematic history of Czech cinema. During the course students will watch selected feature films in their entirety (with English subtitles or commentary) or there will be short examples illustrating the topic discussed. Students will read the texts required for each lesson and discuss them in the class. Lively discussion is expected. Students should ask anything that is not clear enough, bring their own ideas, and participate actively in the program of the course. Part of some lessons is dedicated to film work of Jan Švankmajer.
Gender and Postsocialist Transformation in Central Europe-The social and personal stories of women and men in East Central Europe and postsoviet space took an unexpected turn after the cold war. Globalization hand in hand with the return to the “natural” order of things after 1989 has brought also human trafficking, prostitution and pornography, sexism in the media and advertising, domestic violence, feminization of poverty, small reproductive choices, shortage of state supported childcare and other disadvantages. What has the transition brought for men other than the end of conscription? What are the changes in the reproductive patterns and cohabitation? Gay, lesbian, and transgender issues will be discussed alongside with women’s and men’s issues. Documentaries of the Open Society Fund Gender Montage and other visual materials, field trips, international conferences attendance are a part of this course.
Intercultural Communication- The course introduces students into the dynamics of the communication process as it functions in intercultural contexts. It seeks to equip them with the theoretical and practical foundation needed to cope in intercultural encounters. It focuses on several salient topics in this field, e.g. understanding culture and its influence on an individual´s development, myths and problems connected with intercultural interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, language learning, adapting to a different culture, collaboration across cultures. The course also deals with practical applications of ICC in some particular settings (education, work, health care etc.).Practical exercises, communication skills training and discussion are integral parts of the course. Visits to some interesting places may be organized.
Irish Language- The courses which are currently running in the Irish language range from complete beginners´ to intermediate level, but the ultimate ambition of the Centre for Irish Studies is to achieve among students a level of fluency in the spoken and written language. Irish I is an introductory beginners´ course which aims to present the history, structure and basic characteristics of the language. The course emphasises pronunciation and basic communicative and written skils. Irish II is designed for students who have already attended Irish I. The students improve their basic skills and develop their knowledge of syntax and grammar. More advanced students can continue their studies in Irish III, with particular emphasis on translation which builds on the understanding, spoken and written skills of the students.
John Milton´s Paradise Lost-This is a close-reading course. It aims to illuminate Milton’s Paradise Lost and show how innovative Milton is in his use of language and poetic form, as well as in his treatment of the simple Genesis story. We shall analyse selected passages and discuss the problems that the text raises in the presentation of Satan, the Father and the Son, and in the treatment of Adam and Eve’s union and sexuality. We shall also consider how the poem’s issues relate to the arguments Milton has penned in his prose tracts, and to the larger concerns, whether cultural, religious or political, of seventeenth-century England. The seminar may mostly attract poetry lovers, but it is intended for anyone who wishes to discover how intricate poetry is, and learn more about John Milton, whose writings have for centuries generated critical controversies, and whose influence on English literature, authors writing in English, and indeed many vernacular literatures, is indisputable. The course will also provide students with detailed information on the 1811 Czech translation of Paradise Lost by the Czech linguist Josef Jungmann, whose rendition of Milton´s epic was vital for the revival of the Czech language and the emergence of modern Czech literature
La structuration métaphorique de la langue et du monde dans la lyrique tchèque (in French)-La base textuelle du cours est formée d´un côté par les textes qui ont été déjà analysés en ce qui concerne les mouvements de la perception des locuteurs tchèques (d´après les résultats des différents testes psychosémantiques,), de l´autre côté par les 33 traductions tchèques (et aussi d´autres langues) d´un poème célèbre de Paul Verlaine (Chanson d´automne). Dans ce contexte textuel on va ensemble découvrir les structurations métaphoriques et les qualités rythmiques des idées lyriques tchèques, on va ensemble suivre la phénoménologie de la perception du monde et de la langue avec son corps physique et sensoriel (les points différents et communs de „chez soi“ du moi lyrique tchèque et de „chez soi“ du moi lyrique de l´autre). On va établir ensemble une nouvelle théorie de deux rythmes lyriques qui viennent de la perception et qui y reviennent, on va ensemble profiter la base empirique (unique dans son genre) qui fait partie d´une recherche au cours delaquelle on a interrogé plus de 5000 locuteurs tchèques.
Linguistics: Linguistics in Prague-Linguistics in Prague seeks to reveal brain rules of sound patterning and word making, in Czech and English (and other languages, as relevant). The course studies language as a system of signs; investigates the nature of meaning; explores language in relation to society; and gives a brief overview of the Indo-European language family. The course places major emphasis on problem solving and data analysis. It aims to equip students with knowledge essential for studying foreign languages and neuroscience, but also enhances one’s study of psychology, anthropology, philosophy and human development, as well as math and music.
Literary Theories-To introduce students interested in theoretical thought of the latter half of the twentieth century (from Roland Barthes to New Historicism) to selected themes of contemporary literary theory and to related problems in philosophy, linguistics, aesthetics and history. These include: 1. the status of texts: authorship and authority, text and discourse 2. structuralism and deconstruction: between literature and philosophy 3. figurative language and literature: semiotics and rhetoric, “allegories of reading” 4. aesthetics of representation and aesthetics of intensity: mimesis and simulacrum; 5. forms of otherness and heterogeneity: the unconscious, “literary machine”, “minor literature”, hybridity and multiculturalism 6. relations between texts and histories: historiography and historicism 7. New Historicism: beyond the limits of deconstruction and reception theories.
Literatur: Das Groteske und Ironische: Hrabal, Škvorecký und Kundera (in German)- Das Werk von drei oben genannten Schriftstellern stellt drei Arten der künstlerischen Handlung in der Welt des 20. Jahrhunderts dar. Die groteske Schilderung von den fiktionalen Geschehnissen, die auf dem Autobiographischen und Historischen basieren, werden mit dem Element des Ironischen auf verschiedene Weise konstruiert: bei Bohumil Hrabal (1914–1997) in den dialogischen Erzählungen und später in der lyrischen Prosa, bei Josef Škvorecký (geb. 1924) in den aus der bewusst „plebejisch“ Perspektive erzählten Romanen und bei Milan Kundera (geb. 1929) in den Romanen mit einem allwissenden, reflektierenden Erzähler.
Literatur: Franz Kafka durch (nicht nur) tschechische Augen (in German) 1) Franz Kafka. Biographie. Freundschaft mit Max Brod (Vorlesung) 2) Franz Kafka im tschechischen Kontext (Vorlesung) 3) Franz Kafka und Prag (Seminar) 4) Das Urteil. Brief an den Vater (Seminar) 5) Die Verwandlung (Seminar) 6) Der Prozess (Seminar) 7, 8) Besuch der Kafkas Bibliothek und Kafkas Museums 9,10) Filmprojektionen: Der Prozess (O.Wells), Die Verwandlung (J. Němec)
Literatur: Tschechische Literatur und tschechischer Film der 60 Jahre (in German) Die Veranstaltungen werden die tschechische Literatur der 60er und 70er Jahre des 20. Jahrhunderts behandeln. Es ist das goldene Zeitalter der tschechischen Literatur, die damals, in der Periode der gesellschaftlichen Liberalisierung, des „Prager Frühlings“ und der sgn. Normalisierung nach dem Einmarsch sowjetischer Truppen im August 1968, ein großes Echo in ganz Europa erweckte. Die Aufmerksamkeit wird sich auf die wichtigsten Persönlichkeiten der tschechischen Prosa (Bohumil Hrabal, Milan Kundera), Lyrik (Jaroslav Seifert, Vladimír Holan) und des tschechischen Dramas und Theaters (Josef Topol, Václav Havel) und deren Spitzenwerke lenken. Zugleich werden auch die bedeutenden Themen dieser Periode tschechischer Literatur verfolgen – so das Thema des Holocausts während des II. Weltkriegs (Grosmanns Der Laden auf dem Korso, Fuks’ Der Leichenverbrenner), das Thema, das Thema der Abrechnung mit dem stalinistischen Kommunismus, der persönlichen Versagens und der Desillusion (Kunderas Scherz), das Thema der Sprache, der menschlichen Kommunikation und ihrer Mißbrauchs (Václav Havels Dramen, Ivan Wernisch).
Literature: Attempts of Creating Absolutely Positive Characters in Central and Eastern European Literature and Cinema- The course consists in comparing a certain numer of novels or short stories with their film adaptations, from the point of vue of the auctorial attempts in creating positive or absolutely positive characters. The students are supposed to individually read the literary sources, whilst the films are going to be screened during the course: each screening is supposed to last around 90 minutes. The films are to be commented not only in the following 90 minutes of lecturing and discussions with the students, but also during the projection itself, as it is important to explain to the students certain symbols or other elements of auctorial poetics even while the running of the respective scene in the film
Literature: Central European Film: Search for Identity- This unique course is designed to discuss and question the identity of specific nations in European space, which has always been a fascinating crossroad of ideas and ideologies as well as the birthplace of wars and totalitarian systems. The course Will cover masterpieces of Russian, Hungarian, German, Polish and Czech cinematography, focusing on several crucial periods of history, in particular WWII. and its aftermath, showing moral dilemmas of individuals and nations under Nazi regime as well as revealing the bitter truth of the Stalinist years.
Literature: Central European Modernism and Avan-Garde on the Screen- This course will focus on several milestones in the history of experimental cinematography and present films that either develop modernist and avant-garde tendencies, or try to cope with them via more or less recent variations on modernist/avant-garde themes. The course will consist of two parts – the screening and the subsequent analysis and discussion of the film(s) in question. It should also offer a basic orientation the history of avant-garde film and point out the ways in which the heritage of the avant-garde is still present in contemporary filmmaking.
Literature: Czech Short Stories-This short course will familiarize students with a broad range of Czech 19th and 20th Century short stories by both male and female authors. Some examples are; Božena Němcová – “The 12 Months” Jan Neruda – “The Three Lilies” Ludvík Aškenázy – “Uglyface or Hypocrisy” Alexandr Kliment – “Mark on the Wall” Václav Havel – “Family Singsong” Ivan Olbracht – “The Good Judge” Karel Čapek – “The Waiting Room” Karel Čapek – “Times Aren’t What They Used to Be” Karel Čapek and Josef Čapek – “The Island” . .
Literature: The Makers of Modern Drama: Henrik Ibsen and August Strindberg-This course introduces students to the works of two major world dramatists, Henrik Ibsen and August Strindberg. They are undoubtedly the two most important Scandinavian playwrights; in addition, each of them is often considered to be the most significant writer of his home country (Norway and Sweden, respectively). They have exerted considerable influence on modern drama, and their plays are still being staged all over the world. They have inspired a great number of modern playwrights: Ibsen influenced, for example, G. B. Shaw, Gerhart Hauptmann, Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller, and Strindberg’s plays left their mark on the works of Eugene O’Neill, Edward Albee, Samuel Beckett, Eugène Ionesco and Harold Pinter, to name just a few. While Ibsen is usually regarded as the main founder of realist drama, Strindberg, for his part, wrote several pioneering naturalist, as well as modernist plays. The course will not only focus on the individual works, but it will also illuminate their internal make-up in relation to relevant literary terms and concepts, especially realism, naturalism, symbolism, modernism and expressionism.
Literature: Medieval Literature from the Czech Lands in European Context-The course introduces selected chapters from medieval European literature (ca. 500-1500) with special attention to particularities of the literature written in the Czech lands. Each class is centered on a specific medieval text (in English translation), which is analysed in detail and placed into a larger context. The topics include: Bible in the Middle Ages, or: what is and what is not medieval literature Classics in the Middle Ages (‘converting’ Vergil and Ovid) Chronicles and making the past (Cosmas’ chronicle) Legends and nationalism (Legend of Saint Prokop) Church and parody I – drama Mastičkář (The Ointment Seller) Church and parody II – Saint Nobody, Drinkers’ Masses Prague University culture and literature Image of women during the Hussite movement
Literature: Milton, his precursors and contemporaries-This is a close-reading seminar, but it also aims to view Milton in the light of his precursors and contemporaries. We shall observe how his texts reflect existing traditions or are reflected in the writings of his fellow poets. We shall analyse Milton’s poetry, starting with his minor poems, moving on to the important shorter poems Lycidas and Samson Agonistes. We shall concentrate on selected passages from Paradise Lost, especially from the less known Books XI and XII. A number of classes will be devoted to reading Samson Agonistes and discussing its highly controversial, at once topical and universal, issues (e.g. Samson’s ‘terrorism’, gender and divorce, Aristotelian tragedy).
Literature: Poetics vs. Politics: Chapters from the Czech Post-War Literature- In this course we shall interpret some important works of the Czech post-war literature, with specific regard to the relevance of the extra-literary context, political, social or historical, they emerge from. Some loosely, some very closely connected to the political situation of the Czechoslovakia under the Communist rule, the works we are to deal with may invite specific, historically informed readings; sometimes, however, reading them in terms of their ideological “position” reveals the absurdity of looking for “an attitude to history” in literature
Literature: Poetry and Prose of Prague- This short course will provide an overview of Czech 19th and 20th Century poetry and prose about Prague in English translation. Students will gain an understanding of Prague’s literary topography via themes which are central to the city. This course will include the work of various poets and prose writers, each expressing their unique vision and style
Literature: The Sacred and Mundane Landscape in Czech Literature- This course was inspired by an exhibition held in the city of Litoměřice in 2005, called „Od země přes kopec do nebe“ – dealing with the topic of pilgrimage, mountain-climbing and mountain-visiting, with mountains being a uniting link between Heaven and Earth. We will read short texts by Czech writers and explore art work of Czech artists who – in various ways, have made Mountains an integral part – or pivotal point - of their work.
Norse Myths and Legends-Scandinavian myths and heroic legends do not only reflect the beliefs of a bygone age, but they have also been of considerable import to art beginning with the age of Romanticism. Norse mythology can be traced in works of literature, film, music and fine arts beyond the realm of the Nordic countries and it is the intent of the course to provide a glimpse into the world of gods and heroes that has fascinated so many. The course begins with a brief introduction to the history and prehistory of the Vikings, a preliminary discussion of the notion of myth, followed by the questions of the literary sources of Old-Norse mythology. The first part of the course is dedicated to mythological themes of creation, order and decline of the universe and the character and roles of the individual gods. We will attempt to interpret the religious significance of the myths and, simultaneously, we will compare the sources and analyze them as literary texts. The latter part of the course focuses on the legends of Germanic heroes. We will discuss the issues of heroism, heroic ethos and mythological overlays, and we will interpret the multiple literary versions of the legends originating in Scandinavia and abroad. Finally, a film screening will represent the more recent adaptations of the Sigurd theme.
Psychology and its Selected Applications with Emphasis on Intercultural Issues- Balanced combination of theoretical background and practical insight into various aspects of applied and historical psychology. Visits of psychological workplaces are intertwined with discussions and analysis of students‛ experience. Theoretical lectures should deepen the naive psychological understanding. Lectures and seminars have typical assignments, exams, presentations, tests and final papers. The course offers the students the opportunity to get familiar with several institutions in Prague that offers psychological service and get sound psychological background and knowledge. Several lessons will be devoted also to communication activities in the group aimed at better knowing and understanding oneself and the others.
Psychology of Nutrition-Nutrition and Behavior- Interactions between nutrition and behavior, effects of food on brain activity, physical and mental performance will be discussed. The phylogenetic approach enables to get deeper insight into the complex interactions among food, environmental factors, formation of adaptive behavioral patterns, development, actual and long-term responses to the demands of the environment. Cultural evolution constitutes the integral part in the formation of human behavior, in which nutrition has played the important role from its beginning. Attention will be paid to normal behavior in the course of the ontogeny, to the risk of disturbances as a result of undernutrition and/or inappropriate food intake, to the interactions between food and culture and, to actual global problems and trends in nutrition.
Psychology of Partnership in the Time of Transition- Deeper sight into interpersonal interaction based on activation and inhibition systems, approach and avoidance behavior and evolutionary perspective. Understanding manipulative and instrumental approaches to (significant) others as a source of chronic discomfort and worse well being. Different and changing attitudes toward dating, partnership, marriage, family and foster care in Central Europe during and after communist era.
Romanticism and Cultural Identity-For many Central European nations Romanticism was a decisive cultural influence that shaped their emancipation movements in the nineteenth century. Organic models of community based on the affinities between nature, culture and language became the foundation of nationalistic ideologies. The upsurge of nationalism gave birth to grand narratives of national history, and created sharp divides in multilingual and multiethnic societies. The outcome of these developments was a deep and protracted crisis of many Central European nations in the twentieth century, affecting the best works of their cultures
Selected Topics in Educational Psychology-The course will focus on psychological aspects of educational process. Students will get familiar with the most crucial links between educational psychology and both developmental psychology and psychology of personality (e.g. motivation, learning, cognitive styles, family interactions). However, main part of the subject will concentrate on specific educational problems as they are viewed from psychological point of view. Students will learn about psychological processes within schools, which are influenced by teachers, students, their parents, and also external institutions that cooperate with schools. Apart from theoretical background lectures will include brief introduction into interaction training and excursions into several educational institutions, which offer psychological services.
Seventeenth-Century Dilemmas: Morality, Sexuality, Faith and Reason in Selected Seventeenth-Century Writers-The purpose of this seminar is to provide an introduction to a variety of seventeenth-century texts, including poetry, drama and prose, and to the new ways of thinking and the new forms of writing in the period. The seventeenth-century most significantly reflects the modern idea of individualism – the importance of personal experiences. Philosophy and science intensified religious doubt, bringing into focus the conflict between faith and reason. Protestant theology, Puritanism in particular, emphasised moral discipline and purity, and warned against the dangers of emotion and sexuality. The issues about which seventeenth-century intellectuals were divided still feel modern; the tensions – between reason and faith, reason and emotion, the public sphere and the private, social obligations and natural impulses – are what makes their works alive.
Sociology : Sociology of Development-The course concentrates on following topics and problems connected with development of human societies with a special focus on societies in so-called “Third world”. 1) Theoretical framework: modernization theory, underdevelopment theory and dependency theories, problem of development in recent sociological theory. 2) Historical framework: capitalism, colonialism, neo-colonialism, imperialism and their development, emergency of 3 worlds and their ideological and economical contexts. 3) Development in practice: A) population and resources and their distribution, structural dynamics of society, education, health care, human rights. B) Environment and ecology: deforestation, global warming, water, energy and mineral resources. C) Urbanization and poverty in the “Third world”, D) Rural population and systems of agricultural production, land reform and green revolution, E) Communities, institutions and development: role of local, national and international actors /nation-states, NGOs, World Bank and IMF, UN etc. in recent development politics.
Sociology: Globalization- The course concentrates on following issues connected with globalization: 1. Globalization and Social Sciences: Modernization Theory & Globalization and Sociology, Political and Historical Science: Definitions, Concepts and Approaches. 2. Ways to Global World: Views of the World in the past, ethnocentrism, creating of global map. 3. Globalization and its historical dynamics: historical waves of globalization, its periodization, origin of global empires, colonialism & ethnocentrism, origin of modern capitalism and world-system, industrialization. 4. Main Factors of Globalization Process: 4.a) Global Empires, Nation-States, institutions of international order, multinational and transnational corporations. 4.b) Communication: From Gutenberg to Electronic media 4.c) Transport and Technology: From Horse Power to Oil-based Motor & Nuclear Energy 4.d) Interconnections: Time-Space compression, Communication & Transport Revolutions, Empire and Communication, Capitalism and Nation-states, Capitalism and Technological Development. 5. Main Impacts of Globalization: interdependency, uneven development, global inequality, political and social consequences, ecological impacts, cultural impacts of globalization
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