Socio-political and cultural changes in the Balkans after the Cold War 2500-OG-EN-SCCBACW

The purpose of the course is to advance the student’s knowledge of Balkan states whose polities and societies have been marked by the experience, consequences and legacies of the 1990s wars. The course will introduce students to the history and culture of those states, drawing connections between current events and the historical past, by using historical, literary, and visual sources. What is more, it will also provide students with a comparative and theoretical understanding of the conflict and the process of reconciliation in the region. A concluding debate considers the potential future of Balkan states. Course materials will include not only theoretical and historical readings, but also historical documents, literary texts and films from the region.

Total student workload

- participation in discussion seminar - 20 hrs - consultations - 10 hrs Self-study hours: - preparation for discussion seminar - 40 hrs - preparation for test - 30 hrs Altogether: 100 hrs

Learning outcomes - knowledge

W1: has the basic knowledge of the dissolution process of Yugoslavia W2: knows the political, social and cultural issues of Balkan states W3: is familiar with different conflicts in the region W4: is acquainted with the Euro-Atlantic integration process of Balkan states

Learning outcomes - skills

U1: is able to search, analyze and select the information needed during the course U2: is capable of searching political and cultural context of the texts discussed during the course U3: has advanced skills in presenting arguments precisely

Learning outcomes - social competencies

K1: understands the importance of learning throughout life K2: understands the need for communication to the public and knows how to provide opinions in a way that is commonly understood K3: is well prepared to think in a creative manner K6: participates in a group work and is able to interact K7: can work with analytical sources

Teaching methods

Expository teaching methods: - informative lecture - problem-centered lecture - case study - multimedia presentation - content and textual analysis - round-table discussion

Course coordinators

Agata Domachowska

Assessment criteria

Assessment methods:
- written exam (test in English) (60%) at the end of semester based on the content of the lectures (there will be approximately 2 questions from each lecture. Required readings will be assigned for each class.
- a presentation on a selected subject approved by the instructor (20%)
- class participation (20%) – regular and punctual class attendance is mandatory for all students.
The following criteria are adopted:
0%-59% = fail
60%-69% = satisfactory
70%-74% = satisfactory plus
75%-84% = good
85%-89% = good plus
90%-100% = very good

Additional information

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 2500-OG-EN-SCCBACW in USOSweb