Communism was a geopolitical reality and an economic system, but it also drastically altered European societies and influenced the way individuals moved about in the world. Everything – from relationships to one’s individual aspirations for the future, to artistic tastes to spirituality – was influenced by the implementation of communist principles in the economy and governance of eastern European states. In this course, we will explore the political, economic, and cultural realities of life under communism in the East Bloc.