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| Semester | fall semester 2019 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Alexander Balistreri (alexander.balistreri@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | The proposition that nations enjoy the right to self-determination serves as a cornerstone of modern interstate relations. Nevertheless, self-determination is not self-evident: As an idea and as an ideal, self-determination, too, emerged out of a specific (and modern) historical process. This course focuses on the early twentieth century, a historical period in which self-determination first permeated global political discourse. Self-determination was seen in many (but not all) cases to be a solution to the problems created by the demise of the great land-based multiethnic empires (Ottoman, Russian, Habsburg, German). Self-determination could be used both genuinely, by new actors claiming to represent oppressed peoples, and cynically, by states seeking to consolidate territory—or both simultaneously. In this course, we will examine the mechanisms by which discourses of self-determination spread, the legal battles surrounding the implementation of self-determination, and the outcome of self-determination disputes in several case studies. While most of the literature published today on the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I focuses on the «Wilsonian moment» of self-determination among the Western powers, this course will also focus on the parallel discussions on self-determination taking place in the Bolshevik sphere of influence. Thus, not only Versailles, but also Brest-Litovsk, serve as the settings for our historical discussion. The inculcation of self-determination after World War I as a guiding principle to resolve problems of secession and insterstate disputes shaped the twentieth century. It bolstered nationalist movements and served as a motor behind the anti-colonial struggle after World War II. The problems inherent to self-determination, meanwhile, remain painfully apparent to the present day, as seen, for example, in the wars in former Yugoslavia or the Caucasus and the diplomatic crisis over Crimea. The questions posed by this course thus remain relevant today: Do nations and ethnic groups enjoy legal personhood in international law? Who has the right to speak on their behalf? Can redrawing borders and creating new states contribute to a peaceful resolution of conflicts—or is the opposite true? Finally, does the international community, in particular the states of Western Europe and North America, have a responsibility in this regard? |
| Learning objectives | Students will — become acquainted with the development and implementation of the right to self-determination in the early twentieth century in the Near East and Eastern Europe, particularly during the period immediately following World War I. — engage theoretically with competing definitions of self-determination, nationalism, and state sovereignty. — consider the present-day ramifications of the historical and legal development of the right to self-determination. — implicitly develop their professional use of English in an academic setting through oral participation and written exercises. |
| Bibliography | Eine ausführliche Literaturliste wird in der ersten Sitzung ausgehändigt. |
| Comments | This seminar will be conducted in English. |
| Admission requirements | Offen für Studierenden aller Fachrichtungen. Nicht geeignet für StudienanfängerInnen. Unterrichtssprache und Sprache der Kursarbeiten ist Englisch. Maximale Teilnehmerzahl liegt bei 30! |
| Course application | Anmelden: Belegen; Abmelden: nicht erforderlich |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|
No dates available. Please contact the lecturer.
| Modules |
Electives Bachelor History: Recommendations (Bachelor's degree subject: History) Modul: Fortgeschrittene Nahoststudien (Bachelor's degree subject: Near & Middle Eastern Studies) Modul: Gesellschaft in Osteuropa (Bachelor's degree program: Eastern European Studies) Modul: Gesellschaft in Osteuropa (Bachelor's degree subject: Eastern European Cultures) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | Lehrveranst.-begleitend |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Nahost-Studien |