Indiana University-Purdue University

Fort Wayne

D426 History of the Balkans: 1914 to Present

Fall Semester 2009

Bernd Fischer, Ph.D.

     I.     DESCRIPTION AND GOALS: This course will provide a survey of the Balkan states from 1914 to the present. The course will begin with a brief introduction examining the political, economic, and social formation of the modern Balkan states during the 19th century. The principal foci of this course include, the rise of modern nationalism in the Balkans, World War I and its impact on the Balkans, the failed experiments with democracy and authoritarianism during the interwar period, the upheavals during World War II, the formation and function of command socialism in the Balkans following World War II, the collapse of these systems after 1989, and finally, the difficult search for stability, democracy, and a market economy today.

            Students who successfully complete this course will:

            1.   understand some of the achievements and failures of Balkan attempts to create ethnically and religiously diverse states in an atmosphere of modern aggressive nationalism;

            2.   understand the continuities and contrasts between the past and the present in the Balkans and relate this understanding to other areas on the globe as well as to their own experiences;

            3.   become familiar and critically analyze some of the principal contributions of contemporary Balkan literature;

            4.   develop further their critical reading and thinking skills;

            5.   develop a better understanding of the historians craft in terms of research, including computer application, and writing.

   II.     TEXTBOOKS:

L.S. Stavrianos, The Balkans Since 1453

R.J. Crampton, The Balkans Since the Second World War

Ivo Andric, Bridge on the Drina

Ismail Kadare, The Successor

Hupchick and Cox, Historical Atlas of the Balkans

Bernd Fischer, Balkan Strongmen

  III.     EVALUATION OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE:

            Your grade will be determined as follows:

  15%   1.   Two 5-7 page book reviews.

The book reviews will be divided into two parts.            Part 1 should be a short synopsis of the book and part 2 a critical analysis. Complete instructions    will be distributed during the second week of class. Rough drafts may be turned in for comment.

  15%   2.   A ten page research paper.

Details of the paper assignment will be distributed during the second week of class.

  40%   3.   Two exams. (20% each)

                  These exams will be divided into two parts. Part             1 will consist of a series of short IDs. Students will be expected to identify and explain the significance of five out of nine terms. Part 2 will consist of two essay questions. Students will be expected to choose one and construct an essay that demonstrates an understanding of the material presented in lectures and in the reading, as well as an ability to intelligently synthesize and apply this material.

  30%   4.   A comprehensive final exam.

                  The two hour final exam will be patterned on the previous two exams.

  IV.     COURSE OUTLINE (approximate), ASSIGNMENTS, EXAMS:

            Week 1 - August 24

                  Introduction, the study of history

                  Stavrianos, chapters 1-2, 12-20

            Week 2 - August 31

                  The 19th Century background

                  Stavrianos, chapters 21-28

            Week 3 - September 7

                  World War I in the Balkans

                  Stavrianos, chapters 29-31

            Week 4 - September 14

                  Interwar Rumania

                  Stavrianos, chapters 34-35

            Week 5 - September 21

                  Interwar Bulgaria, Yugoslavia

                  Stavrianos, chapters 32-33           

                  Book review (Andric) due September 22

            Week 6 - September 28 - First Exam

            Week 7 - October 5

Interwar Albania

                  Stavrianos, chapter 36

            Week 8 - October 12

The Second World War and the construction of command Socialist states

                  Stavrianos, chapters, 37-39

            Week 9 - October 19

                  Postwar Rumania

                  Crampton, chapters 1-4    

            Week 10 - October 26

                  Postwar Bulgaria

                  Crampton, chapters 5-8

            Week 11 - November 2 - Second Exam

                  Postwar Yugoslavia

            Week 12 - November 9

                  Crampton, chapters 9-12

                  Postwar Albania

Week 13 - November 16

                  The Revolutions of 1989-1991

                  Crampton, chapters 13-16

                  Book review (Kadare) due November 19

            Week 14 - November 23

                  The search for stability and democracy in the Balkans today

                  Crampton, chapters 17-20

                  Paper due November 26

Week 15 - November 30

                  Reading week

Final exam - Tuesday, December 15, 8-10

Office:             CM 207

Office Hours:        TR 10:15-12:00

and by appointment

Office Phone:        481-6698

e-mail: fischer@ipfw.edu or bernd9@verizon.net