Ethnic Minorities & Diversity in Czech Republic

One of the most explosive issues in the 20th century Central European history was the ethno-national question closely linked to ethnicity and the subsequent fate of ethnic minorities in the region. The struggle for nationhood leading to WWI, the rise of National Socialism, the atrocities of Holocaust, the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia have significantly shaped not only the course of Central European history, but also the ethnic make-up and majority-minority ethnic relations in the region.

This course explores ethnic minorities and ethnic diversity in the Czech Republic. While the present-day Czech Republic may appear relatively ethnically homogenous, this course traces the path toward the present situation and explores how the country has struggled with the multi-ethnic composition of its population. The course provides critical perspectives on various approaches to management of majority-minority relations and ethnic tensions from Austro-Hungarian Empire to Czech Republic's recent integration into the international community and the European Union. The course covers all major ethnic groups in the Czech Republic and situates them within the broader context of relevant ethnic histories, issues, political approaches, and societal attitudes. The course also addresses recent developments impacting the fate and treatment of ethnic minorities in the Czech Republic, including the external demand to meet established minority protection standards, the consequences of recent immigration, political radicalization, and growth of xenophobia and anti-Semitism.