The Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic hosted the 13^th Summer School of European Studies on Monday 25 August 2014 in Telč. Populism, nationalism and extremism were its central topics this year. 

The Summer School of European Studies is a traditional activity which the Diplomatic Academy has organized in late summer for 40 foreign diplomats and junior civil servants from the Czech state administration. 

Věra Jeřábková, director of the Diplomatic Academy, in her introductory speech, emphasized threats resulting from an increase of these phenomena  which influences life in all countries of Europe without any distinction of their size, political or economic importance.  Where do these phenomena  come from? What we know about the people who propagate them? Which mistakes have European politicians made in the past, why they did not try to prevent these threats from emerging?

Many prominent personalities from both the Czech Republic and abroad will responded to these and   many other problems. Jacques Rupnik from   Science Po in Paris for example, focused on nationalism as a part of the modern European development. Ian Begg from the London School of Economics dedicated his presentation to the socio-economic dimension of Europe and the rising expansion of populism. Martin Hrabálek from Meldel’s University in Brno spoke about the presence and the future of an immigration  politics.

Petr Kratochvíl, director of Institute of International Relations in Prague and chairman of the Academic Council of the MFA Diplomatic Academy visited the summer school as well.

ˇ