In this course Blessed Alojzije Stepinac will be considered both as a Church leader and as a participant in political events. His and the Church’s attitude towards and dealings with the authoritarian regime of the first Yugoslavia and the later two totalitarian regimes – the Ustasha NDH and Communist Yugoslavia – will be analysed and compared. Particular attention will be given to the role of Stepinac in saving victims of the NDH; the struggle against Communist repression, manipulation and infiltration of the Church after 1945; the role of the Vatican throughout; and the attitude of the West to Tito after 1948. The controversies attached to Stepinac will be examined and his historical legacy assessed.

Alexander, Stella, The Triple Myth: A Life of Archbishop Alojzije Stepinac, Boulder: Columbia University Press, 1987.; Gitman, Esther, When Courage Prevailed: The Rescue and Survival of Jews in the Independent State of Croatia 1941-1945, St Paul: Paragon House, 2011, pp. 93-126.; Krišto, Jure, Sukob simbola: Politika, vjere i ideologije u Nezavisnoj Državi Hrvatskoj, Zagreb: Globus, 2001, pp. 71-113, 169-254.; Lees, Lorraine M., Keeping Tito Afloat: The United States, Yugoslavia and the Cold War, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1997, pp. 43-79.; Matković, Hrvoje, Povijest Jugoslavije: Hrvatski pogled, Zagreb: Pavičić, 1998, pp. 58-214.; Matković, Hrvoje, Povijest Nezavisne Države Hrvatske: Kratak pregled, Zagreb: Pavičić, 1994, pp. 57-97.

Banac, Ivo, Hrvati i Crkva: Kratka povijest hrvatskog katoličinstva u modernosti, Zagreb: Profil, 2013.; Batelja, Jure, Blaženi Alojzije Stepinac, svjedok Evanđelja ljubavi: Životopis, dokumenti i svjedočanstva – prije, za vrijeme i nakon Drugog svjetskoga rata, vols 2 and 3, Postulatura blaženoga Alojzija Stepinca, 2010.; Benigar, Aleksa, Alojzije Stepinac, hrvatski kardinal, Zagreb: Glas Koncila, 1993.; Krišto, Jure, Hrvatski katolički pokret (1903.-1945.), Zagreb: Glas Koncila, 2004.; Tko je tko u NDH: Hrvatska 1941.-1945., Zagreb: Minerva, 1997.; Vraneković, Josip, Dnevnik: Život u Krašiću zasužnjenog nadbiskupa i kardinala Alojzija Stepinca (5.XII.1951-10.II.1960), ed. Jure Batelja, Zagreb: Postulatura blaženoga Alojzije Stepinca, 2011.

1. Class Attendance: mandatory 70% attendance is required;
2. Seminar Assignments: in-class presentation and seminar paper;
3. A minimum of 35% of the grade should be acquired through regular course activities: seminar assignments and two midterm exams

1. Course activities: seminar assignments; Midterm Exam 1 (written), Midterm Exam 2 (written)
2. Final Exam (oral)

Grading Scale:

Satisfactory (2) – 50 do 64,9%

Good (3) – 65 do 79,9%

Very Good (4) – 80 do 89,9%

Excellent (5) – 90 do 100%

Final Grade Calculation:

a) In-class Activities – 70%

•      Seminar Assignments – 20%
•      Midterm 1 – 25%
•      Midterm 2 – 25%

b) Final Exam – 30%