The end of the Cold War and the reunification of Germany marked a period of relative peace and stability for much of the European continent—but not for its southeastern region. In the Balkans, Yugoslavia collapsed in a series of armed conflicts that resulted in an estimated 140,000 dead and missing, millions of refugees and displaced persons, numerous war crimes, and the redrawing of Europe's political map. Meanwhile, on the eastern side of the continent, the Soviet Union disintegrated seemingly peacefully, although its collapse was also accompanied by several localized conflicts, from Tallinn to Georgia and Abkhazia, producing further conflicts within Russia (Chechen wars) and outside (Armenia and Azerbaijan, but also a civil war in Tajikistan), as well as parastates on the borders. such as Transnistria, Northern Ossetia, and more recently DPR and LPR, leading to a wholeout aggression against Ukraine.
The goal of this course is manifold. Initially we aim to analyze the impact of the Yugoslav Wars—also referred to as the Wars in the Former Yugoslavia, the Wars for the Yugoslav Succession, or the Third Balkan War. The diversity of these terms reflects the fact that historians have not reached a consensus on a single name for the conflicts. The course will examine how these wars have shaped the contemporary states and entities born out of the wartime de facto states of the Western Balkans, as well as the societies that emerged following the violent dissolution of Yugoslavia. It will also aim to utilize the methods of comparative conflicts studies in order to explore the broader political, social, and cultural consequences of these conflicts for other parts of Europe that were not directly affected by the Yugo war, but certainly exhibit some of the similar traits worth looking into.
Learning Activities
After a short introduction of the weekly topic, the lecturer(s) provide a presentation of their work in connection to the weekly theme and readings. Students engage with the lecturer in a Q&A conversation to unpack the core theoretical notions and statements and contextualize them with the help of the assigned literature. An asynchronous mode is available for students whose conditions make it impossible to participate synchronously.
The goal of this course is manifold. Initially we aim to analyze the impact of the Yugoslav Wars—also referred to as the Wars in the Former Yugoslavia, the Wars for the Yugoslav Succession, or the Third Balkan War. The diversity of these terms reflects the fact that historians have not reached a consensus on a single name for the conflicts. The course will examine how these wars have shaped the contemporary states and entities born out of the wartime de facto states of the Western Balkans, as well as the societies that emerged following the violent dissolution of Yugoslavia. It will also aim to utilize the methods of comparative conflicts studies in order to explore the broader political, social, and cultural consequences of these conflicts for other parts of Europe that were not directly affected by the Yugo war, but certainly exhibit some of the similar traits worth looking into.
Learning Activities
After a short introduction of the weekly topic, the lecturer(s) provide a presentation of their work in connection to the weekly theme and readings. Students engage with the lecturer in a Q&A conversation to unpack the core theoretical notions and statements and contextualize them with the help of the assigned literature. An asynchronous mode is available for students whose conditions make it impossible to participate synchronously.
- Instructors: Jelena Jovanovic, Vladimir Petrovic