Serbia, Bosnia, and Kosovo: Peace and Conflict Studies in the Balkans
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"It's hard to imagine a better way to study abroad: you are welcomed into a family and a home, you are taught by local experts, learn the language, traverse the streets, eat delicious food, explore different cultural scenes, and at the end of the semester you are able to direct your own studies and conduct original research. The experience moves you beyond tourist status, gives context to conversations outside of class, and enables you to ask questions with insight.”
-- Danielle Hayes, Washington University in St. Louis
Gain firsthand knowledge of peacebuilding, reconciliation, and the struggle for human rights in Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Kosovo.
Click here for fall 2010 semester information
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.
Examine the different effects of conflict on diverse communities
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. Students witness firsthand the impact of conflict and its aftermath on different communities while closely engaging with groups involved in non-violent activism, alternative cultural centers, and minority rights.
Share daily life with a Serbian family
The program's six-week 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.
Browse this program's Independent Study Projects/Undergraduate Research
| Read about Rebecca Johnson. During her time with SIT Study Abroad and SIT Graduate Institute, she gained firsthand experience campaigning against human trafficking. Now, she's earned a much coveted Polaris Project Fellowship, allowing her to follow her professional passion.
SIT Balkans student, Zoë Brennan-Krohn, has been awarded a Fulbright grant to return to the Balkans to teach English at the University of Banja Luka and work with local research projects. Read more.
Learn more about studying in the Balkans with SIT through the words of program alumna Sarajane Blair: “The program in the Balkans changed the way I look at conflict, post-conflict societies, and post-conflict studies…and focused my final year of college… The intensive coursework, along with the history of Yugoslavia and our ability to travel within three countries, was more than I could have asked for.” |
Duration: Fall/Spring, 15 weeks
Program Base: Belgrade
Language Study: Serbian/Bosnian/Croatian
Prerequisites: None
Phone:
888.272.7881 (toll-free in US)
802.258.3212
TTY:
802.258.3388
Fax:
802.258.3296
Mailing Address:
PO Box 676, 1 Kipling Road
Brattleboro, VT 05302 USA