Serbia, Bosnia, and Kosovo: Peace and Conflict Studies in the Balkans

This program is provided by

Location

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Sarajevo
Kosovo: Pristina
Serbia: Belgrade, Kosovo, Pristina

Description

Gain firsthand knowledge of peacebuilding, reconciliation, and the struggle for human rights in Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Kosovo.

This program engages students interested in peace and conflict studies, history, international relations, and political science with the ongoing efforts of peacebuilding and reconciliation in the Balkans. Students examine the origins of the conflicts in the Balkans, from the breakup of Yugoslavia to the violent wars of the 1990s, as well as current challenges and opportunities in post-conflict transformation. The program provides an excellent case study for examining collective memory, reconciliation, identity, human rights activism, and other topics.

Engage with peace and human rights activists, academics, and local students
Students meet with local scholars, social activists, students, and peacebuilding and human rights groups who share their analysis, activism, and visions of the future. Lecturers are drawn from academic institutions such as the Faculty of Media and Communications (FMK), Singidunum University (Belgrade), University of Belgrade, Islamic Faculty in Sarajevo, the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, and the University of Sarajevo, as well as from local organizations such as the Center for Peacebuilding in Sanski Most (Bosnia-Herzegovina) and the Youth Initiative for Human Rights in Serbia.

Experience the effects of conflict on diverse communities in three different countries, including Kosovo after its unilateral declaration of independence
From the program base in the city of Belgrade—, Serbia’'s vibrant capital and cultural and political center—, students travel to other cities, towns, and villages in Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Kosovo. In Kosovo, students witness the different realities and points of view regarding the future of the frozen conflict there. Learn more about the Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina excursions.

Share daily life with a Serbian family
The program's homestay with a family in Belgrade immerses students in the city’'s life and a local community. By living with a family, students can improve their language skills and further explore Serbian culture.

Highlights

Explore processes of post-war transformation
Through the program's thematic seminar, students examine processes of post-war change. Topics of study include:

•The breakup of Yugoslavia
•Serbia in the 1990s: International sanctions and the NATO bombing
•Serbia after Milosevic
•Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) after Dayton
•Kosovo: a look from Serbia and from Kosovo
•Peace and conflict: theory and practice in the Balkans