Archived Course Descriptions
Fall 2007
PS 210 History of Poland
HIS 211; ENG 213; POL 223
Tuesday, Thursday - 9:30 AM to 10:50 AM
4 Clemens
Professor: Dr. Slawomir Józefowicz
The history of Poland is full of dramatic changes: splendid victories and tragic defeats. At its height, Poland's empire made it one of the largest and most powerful European states in the 15th and 16th centuries. In the depths of its national catastrophes, it lost its independence in late 18th century, suffered partition lasting for 123 years, and waged relentless, often bloody struggles with oppressors. The aim of the course is to introduce students to the main issues and controversies of Poland's history. We will identify the most important turning points and formative periods, beginning with adoption of Christianity in 966 and the establishment of Polish statehood under the Piast dynasty. The major developments of both the Piast (996-1370) and Jagiellonian (1385-1572) eras will be discussed as well as the characteristic features of the highly original Noble Republic (1569-1795) and the reasons of the loss of independence. We will also look closely at the era of partitions and struggles for independence (1795-1918), the mid-war period of the Second Republic (1918-1939), the main events of WWII affecting Poland (1939-1945), the formation and evolution of the People's Republic (1945-1989), the Solidarity revolution of 1980-1981, the role of Pope John Paul II, the martial law period and the eventual demise of the communist system in l989.
PS 410 Polish National Identity and Political Culture
HIS 338; ENG 415
Tuesday, Thursday - 12:30PM - 1:50 PM
108 Baldy
Professor: Dr. Slawomir Józefowicz
Shaped by numerous historical experiences-some highly spiritual and inspirational, others traumatic and destructive-Polish national identity is complex: strong yet ambivalent, firmly established, yet lacking in self-confidence. This paradox finds its reflection in the evolving Polish political culture of the last few decades. This interdisciplinary course will explore a variety of factors shaping Polish national identity and political culture: geographical and geo-political, ethnic and religious, historical and cultural. Topics include: the historical role of the Church; the predominance of rural culture (nobility and peasantry); Sarmatism and the socio-political system of the Noble Republic; traditions of extreme individualism and anarchy alongside religious and ethnic tolerance in multi-cultural ancient Poland; the consequences of partition; legacy of resistance; the culture of romanticism juxtaposed with realism/pragmatism (positivism); the formation of Polish nationalism; the consequences of the communist system; the legacy of the Solidarity revolution; the roots of modern Polish conservatism; the reasons for the relative weakness of liberalism; the impact of market reforms; consumer culture and intensification of contacts with other nations after 1989.
Courses offered under the aegis of the Polish Studies Program |
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Peter K. Gessner, Program Director from 1998 to 2006 |
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| Course Title | Instructor | Semester |
| Poland: Sacred and Profane: Images in Culture |
Anna Niedzwiedz | Spring 2007 |
| Religion and Nationality: The Polish Experience |
Anna Niedzwiedz | Spring 2007 |
| Symbolism in Polish Folk Culture | Anna Niedzwiedz | Fall 2006 |
| Poland and Eastern Europe: Cities and Their Stories |
Anna Niedzwiedz | Fall 2006 |
| Poland and Eastern Europe Dissident Thought: Dilemmas of Anti-Communist Dissidence | Tomasz Herzog | Spring 2006 |
| Education and Politics: Poland | Tomasz Herzog | Spring 2006 |
| Poland and Eastern Europe: The Church and the State |
Tomasz Herzog | Fall 2005 |
| Poland and Eastern Europe: Films, Democracy and Politics |
Tomasz Herzog | Fall 2005 |
| Poland and Eastern Europe - Dissident Thought: Dilemmas of Anti-Communist Dissidence | Tomasz Herzog | Spring 2005 |
| Poland and Eastern Europe: Post 1989 Democratic Transition and Consolidation | Tomasz Herzog | Spring 2005 |
| Poland and Eastern Europe: The Church and the State |
Tomasz Herzog | Fall 2004 |
| Poland and Eastern Europe: Films, Democracy and Politics |
Tomasz Herzog | Fall 2004 |
| Polish Feminism: Literature and Politics | Dorota Kolodziejczyk | Spring 2004 |
| 20th Century Polish-Jewish Literature: novel, essay, testimony | Dorota Kolodziejczyk | Spring 2004 |
| Polish Minorities: History and Culture | Dorota Kolodziejczyk | Fall 2003 |
| Magic Realism in Polish film | Dorota Kolodziejczyk | Fall 2003 |
| Polish Feminism: Literature and Politics | Dorota Kolodziejczyk | Spring 2003 |
| Polish National Identity in Literature | Dorota Kolodziejczyk | Spring 2003 |
| Poland and Islam: Contact and Strife | Dorota Kolodziejczyk | Fall 2002 |
| The Hero/ine in Polish Film: Then and Now |
Dorota Kolodziejczyk | Fall 2002 |
| Polish Literature in the 20th Century: Sex and Psychoanalysis |
Pawel Dybel | Spring 2002 |
| Chaos, War and Endurance: Polish Poets | Pawel Dybel | Spring 2002 |
| Jews and Poland: The Holocaust and After | Pawel Dybel | Fall 2001 |
| Roots of National Identity: Poland | Pawel Dybel | Fall 2001 |
| WWI, WWII, Holocaust and Communism | Lcszek Koczanowicz | Spring 2001 |
| 20th Century Polish Culture and Politics | Lcszek Koczanowicz | Spring 2001 |
| Roads to Democracy in Eastern Europe | Lcszek Koczanowicz | Fall 2000 |
| Between Literature and Philosophy: Stanislaw Lem's Science Fiction | Lcszek Koczanowicz | Fall 2000 |
| Art in Poland since the Nineteenth Century | Feliks Szyszko | Spring 2000 |
| Topics in the Culture and Arts in Poland | Feliks Szyszko | Fall 1999 |
| Film and Theater Creating | Maria Zmarz | Spring 1999 |
| Documentary Reality and Political Reality in Poland | Maria Zmarz | Fall 1998 |