ON-LINE COURSES
DESCRIPTION OF THE COURSES
SCEE: MOODLE INTRODUCTION
The aim of the introductory course is to familiarize the students with the Moodle environment. The
participants will get to know how to work with different types and sources of information. Variety of possible
tasks will be introduced. They will find how to use the platform navigation system. The grading system will be
presented and the way of contact with both administrator of the platform and given teachers.
SMALL-SMALLER-THE SMALLEST. THE MICROSTATES IN THE MODERN WORLD
Lectures: 15 hours; practical classes: 15 hours
Number of ECTS credits: 4
The main aim of this module is to provide the knowledge on the history, current political situation of the small
states in the modern world like Monaco in Europe, Swaziland in Africa and . While studying we learn a lot about
exemplary political systems (the UK, France, Germany, Switzerland or USA), but we do not have any knowledge
about their neighbors or even about a non-European (small) countries. After this course You will know the
difference between the Vatican City State and the Holy see, who is Great She-Elephant, why small Italian town
decided to declare its independence and how to start Your own country.
Have You ever thought about starting Your own country? Do You know that the feudal system in Andorra
ended only in 1993 and San Marino has a double head of state, whose term lasts only six months? Do You want
to know the story about the Prince of Liechtenstein who threatened his subjects that the state will be renamed
to the Republic of the Upper Rhine?
SYLLABUS:
Week 1
Introduction: Micropatrology
Terminology: mini-states, micro-states, dwarf states, small
and/or dependent territories
Week 2
Micronations: Seborga, Sealand
states, European
microstates, quasi-states, de facto-states,
overseas
Week 3
Micronations: Hutt River, Filettino
Week 4
Small American states: Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia,
Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago
Week 5
Small Asian states: Bahrain, Singapore
Week 6
Small Asian states: Maldives, Brunei
Week 7
Small African states: Lesotho, Suaziland, Mauritius, Seychelles, Comoros, Cape Verde, Sao Tome and Principe
Week 8
Small states of Oceania: Nauru, Marshall Islands, Micronesia
Week 9
Small states of Oceania: Palau, Tonga, Samoa, Tuvalu, Kiribati
Week 10
European microstates: Vatican City
Week 11
European microstates: Andorra
Week 12
European microstates: Liechtenstein
Week 13
European microstates: Monaco
Week 14
European microstates: San Marino
Week 15
Summary
EASTERN AND CENTRAL EUROPE IN THE FACE OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION PROCESSES
Lectures: 15 hours; practical classes: 15 hours
Number of ECTS credits: 5
The Central and East European countries are the newest EU member states, which joined EU in 2004, 2007 and
2013. What is very important, because of the historical reasons, for almost 20 years they made great efforts to
join so called “The western club”. The World Wars and the Cold War slowed down if not stopped the
democratization all over the world, especially in Europe. However, the European integration process in the
western part and the fall of the Berlin Wall in the eastern part provoked a new wave of democratization in
Eastern and Central part of Europe. The European Union is more than fifty years old. Its numerous triumphs
include the development of the world’s largest internal market, the creation of a functioning monetary union
and the construction of a system of governance, which quite successfully coordinates the work of 27
increasingly different member states. During this course we will try to concentrate on the processes of
transformation and European integration in the post-communist countries.
The aim of the course is to provide an introduction into the current politics of Central and Eastern Europe in
the context of European Integration. This course deals with the fundamental dilemma facing the European
Union, deepening or widening, by analyzing various aspects concerning the shape of European integration after
the 2004-2007 and 2013 Enlargement and relations with Central and East European countries. This course
provides a broad overview of the development of European cooperation and integration with a specific
emphasis on the accession of the post-communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) to the
European Union. This course combines the study of foreign policy (e.g., of the EU towards Eastern and Central
Eastern Europe, of the CEE towards UE) with an analysis of domestic politics.
SYLLABUS:
Week 1
Organization meeting
Week 2
Theory of Democracy and Authoritarian State– Introduction
Week 3
Cold War
Week 4
Transformation processes in Central and Eastern Europe
Week 5
Post-communist countries on their way to democracy
1. Analysis of Polish and Hungarian experiences
Week 6
Post-communist countries on their way to democracy
1. Analysis of the Czech, Slovakian, Baltic states
2. Romania as an example of violent revolution
3. Impact of transformation on the political systems
4. Impact of transformation on societies
Week 7
Post-communist countries on their way towards European Union
1. Association
2. Negotiation
3. Luxemburg and Helsinki group
Week 8
Post-communist countries on their way towards European Union
1. CEE Enlargement of 2004
2. Accession referendums of 2004
3. CEE Enlargement of 2007
4. Croatian accession to the EU
Week 9
Transformation and Integration in CEE – Comparative Analysis
Week 10
CEE countries in the EU – almost 10 years of membership
Week 11
The Role of CEE Countries in the European Structures – Concluding Remarks. The Prospects of the Next Enlargements of the EU
DIRECT DEMOCRACY: THEORY AND PRACTICE. EAST AND WEST EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE
Lectures: 15 hours; practical classes: 15 hours
Number of ECTS credits: 5
Today democracy is one of the most popular idea in the world. Many theoreticians, researchers, practitioners
claim that there is no other concept that has changed the functioning of contemporary countries to a such
extent as the democracy has. This is why the concept of democratic government seems to be still very
interesting, especially in Europe, where one could observe two different ways of development of democratic
form of ruling. Also experiences with the representative and direct democracy in both parts of Europe seem to
be different.
The main aims of this course are:
 widening and deepening students’ knowledge on direct democratic government,
 examining the use and the role of direct democratic instruments in Eastern and Western European
countries in comparative perspective.
 widening the theoretical knowledge on democracy, its forms, concepts , tools, legal procedures
 comparison of direct democratic experiences in Eastern and Central European countries
 examining the role of direct democracy in contemporary Europe
 raising awareness of the importance of electorate’s involvement in decision-making process
 providing the knowledge on the impact of various factors on “quality” of direct democracy in certain
countries from WE and CEE
The course will deal with theory and practice of direct democracy in European states, as well as the normative
dimensions of the processes of referendum, initiative. The main goal is not only to understand and explain how
these direct forms work, but also to answer the question about the possibilities and perspectives of using them
in present-day Europe, and what follows – also in the European integration process.
Week 1
Organizational Meeting
Week 2
Theory of Democracy – Introduction
Week 3
Online Direct Democracy & Its Institutions
Week 4
Direct Democracy in Switzerland
Week 5
Direct Democratic Government in Swiss Cantons And Municipalities
Week 6
Direct Democracy in West European Countries - Main Dimensions of the Use of DD Tools
Week 7
Direct Democratic Experience in Western Europe – Chosen Dimensions
Week 8
Direct Democracy in East European Countries - Main Dimensions of the Use of DD Tools
Week 9
Referenda in Eastern Europe - Recent Experiences
Week 10
Direct Democracy in the Process of European Integration
Week 11
The Role of DD in Europe. The Prospects of DD in Europe
IMPLEMENTATION WAY
The on-line courses are accessible on Faculty of Political Science and Journalism of AMU webpage:
http://wnpid.amu.edu.pl/scee. First part of the courses will be delivered in winter semester and second part in
spring semester in academic year 2014-2015. The recruitment procedure will be up to partner universities.
The 4 Russian Universities will send the names and email addresses of selected students to AMU and Moodle
Administrator at AMU will register the students on the platform. The students will receive individual login and
password and will start the courses in Nov. 2014.
PARTICIPANTS
The students from Russian partner universities. There will be a limit of 30 students per course.
PILOTE GROUP
There will be no pilot group
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
If there is any template related to intellectual property that the authors should sign please sent it to me.
PUBLISHING ON THE WEB-SITE
The on-line courses are accessible at: http://wnpid.amu.edu.pl/scee. There are links to: Erasmus Mundus site;
Erasmus+ site; SCEE site.
WHO AND WHEN DEVELOPED THE COURSES
The courses were developed during the realization of SCEE grant (see: corresponding time sheets).
The authors were the lecturers from AMU: prof. Magdalena Musial-Karg; Marcin Lukaszewski MA; Dr. Jaroslaw
Janczak, Dr. Tomasz Branka; Tomasz Kollat MA, Dr. Bartosz Hordecki. The administrator of the platform is Mr
Szymon Garbarek.