In honor of the 2018 centennial of Czech independence, philosopher of law Jiří Přibán and award-winning Czech journalist Karel Hvížďala took the opportunity to examine key moments in Czech history from the ninth century to the twenty-first. Covering such a broad span of time allowed them to look into the past and question how Czechs have viewed their history at different points—and what that means for the Czech present and future. As contemporary politics drift closer towards totalitarianism, historiography from scholars and thinkers who experienced twentieth-century totalitarian regimes is more important than ever. In their spirited dialogue, Hvížďala and Přibán raise and explore these crucial issues, sharing subjects normally reserved for university seminars with the broader public.
Author(s): Jirí Pribán, Karel Hvíždala, Stuart Hoskins
Series: Václav Havel Series
Publisher: Karolinum Press, Charles University
Year: 2020
Language: English
Pages: 280
City: Prague
Cover
Contents
Preface
History and National Identity
The Formation of Nations and Nationalism
Law without the State and State Law: from the Middle Ages to Modernity
Modern Times, State Sovereignty and the Nation
The Nation, Culture and History
The National Revival and the Right to Self-determination
Cultural Idealism and Political Realism
The Republic of Educated Citizens, or Masaryk’s Attempt at a Central European Utopia
Intellectuals and Politics
Two Totalitarian Regimes
From the Disintegration of the State to the Disintegration of the Regime
About the Authors