Eastern Europe since 1989: Post-Communist Transition and European Integration (POLIT-01)

Lecturer: Mykola Riabchuk

Credits: 2 credits / 60 academic hours (16 classroom hours)

The course examines trajectories of development of East European countries that, in 1989-1991, overthrew communist dictatorship and opted for substantially different political, social, and economic directions. It examines the appropriateness of various theories of democratic transition and to discover new explanation for specific developments, investigating to what extent they are determined by the past experience of the country, its political culture and social capital and to what extent they are determined, here and now, by the people’s will and their leaders’ skill, comprehensive reforms, domestic actors and international assistance. Special attention is paid to the role of European organizations, primarily of the European Union, in promoting institutional changes in many but not all post-communist states.

Ukrainian Women in Post-Socialist Transformations (POLIT-02)

Lecturer: Oksana Kis, PhD

Credits: 3 credits / 90 academic hours (30 classroom hours)

This course covers post-socialist transformations in Eastern Europe from the gender perspective. By focusing on Ukraine, the multidimensional impact of radical political, social, economic and cultural changes onto women’s lives is examined. Exploring challenges women faced in transition from state socialism to market economy and democracy women is analyzed as both targets and agents of changes. The role of schooling and media in women’s gendered socialization, ways of (re)construction of old/new models of femininity, women’s responses to demographic crisis and alteration of family roles, women’s agency and representation in politics, as well as women’s economic strategies and employment behaviors are examined. Special attention will be given to the problems faced by women migrant workers abroad and those subject to trafficking. 

Modern Ukraine in the international politics: The clash of European, Euroasian and Globalistic approaches (POLIT-03)

Lecturer: Dmytro Sherengovsky, PhD

Credits: 2 credits / 60 academic hours (16 classroom hours)

The course  focuses on the modern trends of Ukrainian foreign policy in the context of different theoretical approaches and doctrines. It examines the role of Ukraine in the  international arena as well as its challanges as a young democracy in the global society. Special attention is paid to the major possibilities of Ukrainian foreign policy (European, Euroasian and Globalistic doctrines) through the comparative approach.