Universität Wien

070082 UE Reading Course in Contemporary History (2025W)

Contemporary History, Socialism, Post-Socialism, Gender in East Central Europe

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 7 - Geschichte
Prüfungsimmanente Lehrveranstaltung
Moodle
Mo 17.11. 13:15-14:45 Seminarraum 1, Institut für Zeitgeschichte, 1090 Wien, Spitalgasse 2-4, Hof 1

An/Abmeldung

Hinweis: Ihr Anmeldezeitpunkt innerhalb der Frist hat keine Auswirkungen auf die Platzvergabe (kein "first come, first served").

Details

max. 25 Teilnehmer*innen
Sprache: Englisch

Lehrende

Termine (iCal) - nächster Termin ist mit N markiert

Please note that whilst the regular time of the class is Monday 13.15 - 14.45, in January, we have two double sessions: 12 January 11.30 - 14.45 and 19 January 11.30 - 14.45. These will be dedicated to conference-style presentations and you'll be required to not only be active and present, but also write about the sessions those two days.

  • Montag 06.10. 13:15 - 14:45 Seminarraum 1, Institut für Zeitgeschichte, 1090 Wien, Spitalgasse 2-4, Hof 1
  • Montag 13.10. 13:15 - 14:45 Seminarraum 1, Institut für Zeitgeschichte, 1090 Wien, Spitalgasse 2-4, Hof 1
  • Montag 20.10. 13:15 - 14:45 Seminarraum 1, Institut für Zeitgeschichte, 1090 Wien, Spitalgasse 2-4, Hof 1
  • Montag 27.10. 13:15 - 14:45 Seminarraum 1, Institut für Zeitgeschichte, 1090 Wien, Spitalgasse 2-4, Hof 1
  • Montag 03.11. 13:15 - 14:45 Seminarraum 1, Institut für Zeitgeschichte, 1090 Wien, Spitalgasse 2-4, Hof 1
  • Montag 10.11. 13:15 - 14:45 Seminarraum 1, Institut für Zeitgeschichte, 1090 Wien, Spitalgasse 2-4, Hof 1
  • Montag 01.12. 13:15 - 14:45 Seminarraum 1, Institut für Zeitgeschichte, 1090 Wien, Spitalgasse 2-4, Hof 1
  • Montag 12.01. 11:30 - 14:45 Seminarraum 1, Institut für Zeitgeschichte, 1090 Wien, Spitalgasse 2-4, Hof 1
  • Montag 19.01. 11:30 - 14:45 Seminarraum 1, Institut für Zeitgeschichte, 1090 Wien, Spitalgasse 2-4, Hof 1

Information

Ziele, Inhalte und Methode der Lehrveranstaltung

The reading course focuses on a selection of key topics of contemporary history, with special focus on the history of post-WWII state socialism in East Central Europe and its place in historiography. We will explore the idea of contemporary history in multiple academic contexts, think together of its meaning and relevance through the history of socialism, gender, and violence and war in recent history through the cases of Yugoslavia and Ukraine.
Course participants will present on the assigned readings to foster conversation. The goal of the course is to critically reflect on the significance, but also the methods of contemporary history, while gaining in-depth knowledge of fundamental concepts that shape our understanding of this period. These key themes include: the distinction between totalitarianism and authoritarianism, the terminology used to narrate the history of the Cold War and its aftermath, gender and women's emancipation, marginalised and minoritised groups and the state, but also decolonialism, types of violence, genocide, the role of gender in these analyses, and many more.

Art der Leistungskontrolle und erlaubte Hilfsmittel

Class participation (with an occasional quizz game): 30%; Written assignments: 70%

The language of the course is mainly English, but presentation and questions are accepted in German. All mandatory readings are in English, German language additional literature is in the Optional section of the detailed syllabus.

1 (excellent) 100 – 90 points
2 (good) 89 – 81 points
3 (satisfactory) 80 – 71 points
4 (sufficient) 70 - 61 points
5 (insufficient) 60 – 0 point

Mindestanforderungen und Beurteilungsmaßstab

Regular active participation; Short written works and their discussion. See above.

2 absences are permitted (On January 12 and 19 we have two classes per day!)

Prüfungsstoff

Dies ist eine prüfungsimmanente Lehrveranstaltung.

Literatur

Sheila Fitzpatrick, “Revisionism in Soviet History,” History and Theory 46, no. 4 (2007): 77–91.
Redi Koobak, Madina Tlostanova, and Suruchi Thapar-Björkert, “Introduction: Uneasy Affinities between the Postcolonial and the Postsocialist,” in. Postcolonial and Postsocialist Dialogues: Intersections, Opacities, Challenges in Feminist Theorizing and Practice, idem. ed. (London, New York: Routledge, 2021), 1-10.
Iva Jelušić, Gender and World War II in the Yugoslav Media. London - NY: Routledge, 2025.
Malgorzata Fidelis, Women, Communism, and Industrialization in Postwar Poland. Cambridge University Press, 2010.
Wendy Goldman, Women at the Gates: Gender and Industry in Stalin's Russia. Cambridge, UK – New York, NY: Cambridge UP, 2002.
Kesić, Vesna (2002) ‘Muslim Women, Croatian Women, Serbian Women, Albanian Women’, in D. I. Bjelić and O. Savić (eds.), Balkan as Metaphor: Between Globalization and Fragmentation. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 311–21.

Towards the end of the semester, we will read a book co-authored by Ukrainian students and scholars of Ukrainian history, and invite authors of the book for a conversation:
Ostap Sereda, Balázs Trencsényi, Tetiana Zemliakova and Guillaume Lancereau, eds. Invisible University for Ukraine. Essays on Democracy at War (Itchaca: Cornell UP, 2024).

Zuordnung im Vorlesungsverzeichnis

EAR: Zeitgeschichte.
MA Geschichte (Version 2019): PM1 Einführung in Themenfelder, Räume und Epochen, UE Lektürekurs (5 ECTS).
IDMA Zeitgeschichte und Medien (Version 2019): M2a Einführung in den Forschungsprozess und Methoden I, UE Schwerpunkteinführung Zeitgeschichte (5 ECTS).

Letzte Änderung: Mo 13.10.2025 11:06