Penn Summer Abroad
Locales
Penn-in-Prague, Czech Republic
Main | Description | Curriculum
“Great schedule, beautiful city, good opportunity to learn & practice a new language.”
“Prague! Trips! Architecture! Pilsner! Cechi!”
“Great program. Great teachers.”
Affiliated with Charles University, Penn-in-Prague offers an introduction to the culture, politics and history of Central Europe. In addition to courses in elementary and intermediate Czech, the program covers topics including Central European art, literature; the reappearance of the concept of Central Europe within the context of the European Union the development of post-Communist Central Europe; and the study of ritual artifacts produced by Central European Jewish craftsmen.
Central Europe is one of the most intriguing areas of the Continent. With an ethnically diverse population of more than 150 million, this region — located at the precise geo-political divide between the East and the West — has been the stage for an ideological and cultural competition for more than a millennium. The recent demise of the Soviet Union as a superpower has brought Central European issues to the foreground. As it did after World War I, this part of Europe has splintered into a number of small states, all groping to restore shattered economies in the looming shadow of a strong Germany. However, if the pendulum of European history once swung toward nationalistic divisiveness, today the Continent is striving toward European unification. In March 1999, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland all became full members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and in May 2004, they joined the European Union.
An inspiring place for students to broaden their horizons, Prague has emerged as one of Europe’s premiere locations. It is also one of the most beautiful and well-preserved medieval cities in Europe. Since the 9th century, when it became the capital of Bohemia, Prague has passed through several distinct architectural transformations — Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Art Nouveau — which have created its unique character. With a population of about 1.2 million, Prague is truly the center of the region. Prague offers richly diverse cultural resources including theater, opera, concerts, art galleries, museums, cafes, discos and sporting events. Easily accessible by train or bus, the surrounding Bohemian and Moravian countryside is dotted with castles and medieval towns and villages, which are among the highlights of the region.