Eastern Europe: From 18th Century Empires to 20th Century Nation-States

Class Description

The class surveys the Habsburg, Ottoman, Russian, and Prussian empires and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which encompassed all of Eastern Europe in the 18th century. We'll examine the Enlightenment, Romanticism, the French Revolution, the Napoleonic wars, the Revolution of 1848, World War I, and the peace treaties ending the war to gain a sense of the impact each had on the region and the resulting political, social, and economic changes. Of particular interest is the process of disintegration of imperial rule in the face of revolutions, national movements, and the formation of nation-states throughout the area after World War I.

Many Chicagoans trace their ancestry to Eastern Europe. What is the origin of their ethnic identities? In the 18th century, the vast majority of the population of the multi-ethnic Habsburg, German, Russian, and Ottoman Empires, and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth did not identify themselves in ethnic terms. Yet, in the early twentieth century, a multiplicity of nation-states came into being throughout the region. 

John J. Kulczycki received his PhD from Columbia University in East European History, which he taught for over twenty years at UIC. He has published four books and over fifteen scholarly articles based on his research. Since retirement, he has continued to work in the field, including teaching at the Newberry in the summer of 2024.

What to Expect

Format: In Person

Class Capacity: 24

Class Style: Mix of lecture and discussion; participation encouraged

Materials List

Required

• Ian D. Armour, A History of Eastern Europe 1740-1918. Bloomsbury Academic, 2013. ISBN: 9781849664882

• Digital Course Packet

First Reading

• Please read Armour, A History of Eastern Europe 1740-1918, pp. vi-vii, 1-12

A Brief Syllabus

1. Introduction
2. The Eighteenth-Century Background: 1740-1804
3. Nationalism, Revolution, and State Formation 1804-1867
4. Nationalism, Independence, and Modernization 1867-1918
5. The Course of the War and the Peace Treaties laid the foundation for the Emergence of the New Eastern Europe

Cost and Registration

5 Sessions, $200 ($180 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.

We offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($200), Community Supported ($185), and Sponsor ($215). Following the models of other institutions, we want to ensure that our classes are accessible to a wider audience while continuing to support our instructors. You may choose the price that best fits your situation when registering through Learning Stream.

To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.

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