History, Culture and Society of Central, East and Southeast Europe

This course provides you with an in-depth understanding of the historical, political, and cultural development of East and Central Europe during the 20th and 21st centuries. The focus is on the emergence of democracy and civil society, as well as the challenges that have shaped this process in the region. You will analyse how identities and values have been created and transformed, and how nationalism, Europeanisation, and globalisation have influenced societal development.

The course is divided into different components that address the region as a whole and specific problem areas within individual countries. Through both theoretical perspectives and empirical examples, you will study similarities and differences between nations, as well as continuity and change over time.

A central part of the course is understanding why the democratisation processes in East and Central Europe have become increasingly complex and problematic in recent decades. You will also gain insight into cultural characteristics and normative positions considered unique to the region, and how these differ from the rest of Europe.

The course equips you with tools to analyse historical and contemporary issues from a critical perspective — knowledge that is valuable if you aim to work in international relations, social analysis, or cultural studies.

The teaching is conducted through lectures and seminars, which include oral presentations. The course is assessed through a final take-home exam.

When you study East and Central European Studies, you gain knowledge about a region that plays an important role in Europe’s political, cultural, and social development. You learn about historical events, current conflicts, and cultural expressions, and you get tools to understand and analyse topics like identity, ethnicity, and social change.

East and Central European Studies are for you who are curious about the world and want to work with international issues. You might find a future in government agencies, aid organisations, the cultural sector, media, or research. You also develop valuable skills like critical thinking, understanding different perspectives, and working in multicultural environments. You learn to look beyond simplified ideas of “East” and “West” and gain a broad understanding of how history, politics, and culture are connected.

Prerequisites

Admission to the course requires a Bachelor's degree (Bachelor of Arts or equivalent) in the humanities or political science or equivalent.

Selection criteria

Seats are allocated according to: ECTS (HPAV): 100 %.

Tuition fees for non-EU/EEA citizens

Citizens of countries outside:

• The European Union (EU)
• The European Economic Area (EEA) and
• Switzerland

are required to pay tuition fees. You pay an instalment of the tuition fee in advance of each
semester.

Tuition fees, payments and exemptions

Full programme/course tuition fee: SEK 33,750
First payment: SEK 33,750

Convert currency – xe.com

Note that you may also need to pay an application fee, or provide proof of exemption.

Application fee

No tuition fees for citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland

There are no tuition fees for citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.