Fundamentals of Contemporary Slovenian History

The course discusses the socio-political, economic, social and cultural history of Slovenes from the end of the First World War onwards in the entire ethnic territory. It is chronologically divided into five basic thematic groups: the interwar period; the period of the Second World War; the period after the Second World War; the period of Slovenia gaining its independence; and the period after independence. The thematic groups equally include the political, military, economic, social and cultural history, scientific development and technological advances as well as the changes in society that result from these two. Political history emphasises the current social situation, the domestic political circumstances and the relations between political forces in Slovenia. In the interwar period the position of Slovenia in the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes or in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia is discussed, together with the position of Slovenes in neighbouring countries. The period during the Second World War includes the position of Slovenes in individual occupation zones, the occupation politics (comparatively), the actions of the leading forces in society and the historical events and processes connected with them (collaboration, resistance, revolution, the attitude towards Yugoslavia). The period after the Second World War is divided into several time and thematic groups: the forties (the period of the Communist Party's takeover of authority, the implementation of revolutionary measures, the introduction of administrative socialism and accelerated industrialisation, the dispute with the Informbiro; all of which is compared with other countries sharing a socialist regime); the fifties (the period of self-governing socialism); the sixties (the period of the so-called Party »liberalism«); the seventies (the period of the delegate system and the »agreed economy«); the eighties (the period of the economic crisis and the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the formation of a civil society and of the oppositional ties, which later evolved into parties); the beginning of the nineties (the transition to a multiparty system and the gaining of Slovenia's independence), followed by the position of Slovenia until its entry into the European Union and afterwards. The course is connected to the History of Southeast Europe and Contemporary General History.