130013 PS Identity, Political Culture and Nation Building in Scandinavia and the Baltic Area in the 20th Cent. (2012W)

The aim of the course is to describe the political mentalities in the Baltic Sea area, especially in Finland, Sweden and Estonia. The purpose is not to introduce every aspect of political history in the area according to specific theories of political science, but to illuminate the long-term mentalities and traditions, whose consequences still have an effect on the Northern and Baltic mentalities and behavior in the present day. For example: How does the Lutheran ethic influence the mentalities? Why did the success of the welfare state and the gender model come about especially in Scandinavia? What was the effect of the German influence? How did the experience of the Second World War put the countries into different camps and how does it influence their present-day policy? What is the source of the careful, a bit skeptical politics in the European Union? What was the influence of the long period of Soviet dominance in Estonia (and the Finlandization in Finland)? What is the party political structure in the area and why has it been so stable?
During the weeks from the 5th to the 8th of November and from the 12th to the 15th of November: The teacher first gives brief lectures of the main historical events in the area and of the features which have shaped the political cultures and mentalities. Then the political culture and mentalities are represented through documents, literature, films etc., which are discussed (dates in the list below, begin with Theme). These sources, many of them rather from the popular culture than from the academic studies, are used to represent the methods of identity politics, nation-building, enemy images etc. which are common in the area. What is typically Northern about them and how do they differ from Western and Central European mentalities and traditions? And especially: how do the nations (especially Finland, Sweden and Estonia) interpret their own history and consider it special in Europe?
During the December week: The students present their Übungsarbeiten, whose topics and material they can suggest to the teacher during the two November weeks, but if they do not yet have any special idea, the teacher can suggest a topic and relevant material (documents, literature etc.) to them. The exact nature of the Übungsarbeiten of course somewhat depends on the number of students, but the purpose is that the themes deal with some specific examples of Scandinavian and Baltic nation-building and identity politics and political culture, and the Übungsarbeiten consist of essays and presentations: the students prepare an essay for the teacher and present the main points orally to the whole class, which can then discuss the theme and make questions.
Obs.! Although the language of teaching will be English, the student presentations can be held in German and the essays can be written in German.