SUİ425

School of Economics and Administrative Sciences \ Political Science and International Relations

3

6

Elective

English

-

Departmental elective course for SUİ students, other departments can take as faculty or university elective course.

The Balkan is one of the most complex regions throughout the history that continue in present. Its characterized with ethnic rivalries dominate history and where medieval and modern traditions thread into each other. The geography makes the region battlefield for cultural, economic and political competition between West and East. It was the stage of fierce geopolitical rivalry among Great Powers especial in 18th and 19th century. This intricate history of interconnected geopolitical relationship set the stage for today’s political landscape. The regional geopolitics has seen states emerge and disintegrate, the rise and collapse of democratic and dictatorial regimes, demographic engineering and experience the whole spectrum of warfare from small intensity armed conflicts to war. Contemporary political relationships are still balance between strong history and ethnic dominance and NATO and EU influence.

Tim Marshall, The Prisoners of Geography

Mark Mazower, THE BALKANS: A SHORT HISTORY

Leon Dominian, The Balkan Peninsula, Bulletin of the American Geographical Society, Vol. 45, No. 8 (1913), pp. 576-584

Maria Todorova, Imagining the Balkans

Maria Todorova, Balkans from Discovery to Invention

The objective of this course is to provide students with a holistic understanding of the Balkans region and its geopolitical relationship. Hence, they will learn about:

• History, politics and society in the Balkans from the past to the present

• The Balkan political culture with focus on significant similarities and differences between countries regional and global relationships

• Contemporary conditions that are shaping the Balkan's economic, political and security environment.

• And, to identify the conditions and influences of globalization and other global actors influences and interests that are shaping the Balkan's political landscape.

1. Students learn about the historical, political, and social dynamics of the Balkans and develop the ability to analyze the roots of ethnic, cultural, and political conflicts in the region.
2. By examining Balkan political culture and the national and international relations of regional states, students conduct an analysis of regional differences.
3. Students evaluate how global powers have shaped the Balkans, assess the influence of international organizations such as NATO and the European Union, and compare the region's interactions with external actors.
4. Students analyze the democratization process in the Balkans, assess regional security dynamics, and examine the impact of globalization on the region, developing the ability to discuss possible future scenarios for Balkan politics.

Week 1: Introduction to the Course Overview of course objectives, requirements, and timeline. Introduction to Balkan geopolitics.
Week 2: The Balkan Geography and Identity Definition of the Balkans, regional geography, cultural and political identity. Concepts of "Balkanism" and "Orientalism."
Week 3: Historical Background of Balkan Politics The rise and fall of empires in the Balkans (Ottoman and Habsburg). Formation of national identities and state-building processes.
Week 4: Building the Nation-States Nationalism and its impact on the Balkans. The influence of Western European political ideologies on the region.
Week 5: The Communist Era and External Influences The role of communism in the Balkans, differences between Balkan and Soviet-style communism, and the role of external actors during the Cold War.
Week 6: The Yugoslav Dissolution Causes and consequences of Yugoslavia’s breakup. Ethnic conflicts, external interventions, and regional security dynamics.
Week 7: The New Political Landscape Post-Yugoslav political transformation, emerging new states, economic restructuring, and political stability.
Week 8: Democratization in the Balkans Political transitions in post-communist Balkan states, EU and NATO integration processes, and challenges to democratization.
Week 9: The Role of Global Powers in the Balkans The influence of the EU, NATO, Russia, China, and the US in shaping the region’s politics and security.
Week 10: Geopolitical Interests and the Balkans' Position Regional security concerns, strategic positioning between East and West, and the role of energy politics.
Week 11: The Balkans and the United States U.S. foreign policy in the Balkans, historical and contemporary relations, and the impact of American security strategies.
Week 12: Future Scenarios for the Balkans Potential political, economic, and security developments in the region. The future of EU integration and geopolitical alignments.

• Participation 50 %
• Essays 50 %