EURA226-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025

The Rise and Fall of Communism in Central and Eastern Europe, 1944 - 1991

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 14 July 2025
End Date: Sunday, 9 November 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 27 July 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 28 September 2025

Description

The end of the Cold War and of Eastern European communism in 1989-1991 did not mean the loss of global interest in developments in the former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe. On the contrary, the recent history of these countries, the period of their post-communist transition to political democracy and a market economy, has been marked with new instabilities, crises and wars which have had serious implications for global trends. This course is designed to provide a broad background to an understanding of the political, socio-economic, and cultural developments in the former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe as an essential prerequisite to understanding the modern world.

The end of the Cold War and of Eastern European communism in 1989-1991 did not mean the loss of Eastern Europe’s global importance. On the contrary, the recent history of countries in Central and Eastern Europe which had fallen under Soviet domination and communist rule after the Second World War has been marked with new instabilities, crises and wars, which have had serious implications for global trends as well. This course is designed to provide a broad background to an understanding of the political, socio-economic and cultural developments in the countries of former communist Eastern Europe as an essential prerequisite to understanding the modern world. In addition to the primary focus on the internal evolution of Central and Eastern European communist states from the end of the Second World War to the early 1990s, significant attention will be paid to the most important events and themes of the pre-war history of this part of the world.

Learning Outcomes

  • This course will enable students to become familiar with and demonstrate specialised knowledge in the major issues of the history of communism in East-Central and Eastern Europe. This knowledge will further develop their ability to better understand the political and socio-economic conditions that have determined global developments after the collapse of European communism as well as critically evaluate and assess other key issues and topics within modern world history as an academic discipline.  

    In particular, upon completion of the course students are expected to be able to:

  • Understand and describe the geopolitical conditions in which the countries of East-Central and Eastern Europe fell under Soviet domination and communist rule after the Second World War;
  • Demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and main characteristics of communist rule in the countries of East-Central and Eastern Europe during the period 1945-1989/91;
  • Develop an awareness of theoretical debates relating to the themes and topics examined;
  • Define and analyse the main socio-economic and political causes of the collapse of communist rule in East-Central and Eastern Europe during the period 1989-1991.
    • University Graduate Attributes

      This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:

      Employable, innovative and enterprising

      Students will develop key skills and attributes sought by employers that can be used in a range of applications.

      Globally aware

      Students will comprehend the influence of global conditions on their discipline and will be competent in engaging with global and multi-cultural contexts.

Prerequisites

Any 15 points at 100 level from EURA or HIST, or
any 60 points at 100 level from the Schedule V of the BA.

Restrictions

EURA326, EURO 226, EURO 326, HIST269, HIST329

Equivalent Courses

Timetable 2025

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Monday 14:00 - 16:00 F1 Lectorial
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Tutorial A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Thursday 13:00 - 14:00 F1 Lectorial
21 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

Milenko Petrovic

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
Class attendance and participation 10% Weeks 1-12
Mid-course test 20% Held week 6
Essay 30% Due week 11
Exam 40% Held during University examination period

Textbooks / Resources

Required Texts

Crampton, R. J; Eastern Europe in the twentieth century ; Routledge, 1994.

Additional and optional readings are listed in the Course Outline on AKO|LEARN.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $894.00

International fee $4,100.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Language, Social and Political Sciences .

All EURA226 Occurrences

  • EURA226-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025