Yugoslavia in a 20th-Century Perspective

About the course

This course examines Yugoslavia from a twentieth-century perspective, focusing on a state that experienced nearly every political system present in Europe during the century. These shifts unfolded within complex state- and nation-building processes, ultimately contributing to instances of mass violence and genocide during the twentieth century. Yugoslavia provides a unique lens for understanding the development of international law, as well as the challenges that political systems face in governing ethnically and religiously diverse societies.

You will gain valuable insights into how different ideological frameworks shaped mechanisms of exclusion and influenced the character of political violence. Attention is also given to the broader context of the post-communist era, including the intensified state- and nation-building processes that followed the collapse of communist rule. Particular attention is paid to aspects such as transitional justice and the difficulties facing societies in transitions from authoritarianism to democracy—processes that, in some cases, have produced deeply troubling outcomes such as mass killings and forced displacement of populations.