Course objectives: The objective is to acquaint students with the problems of the Western Balkans in the context of international relations and develop analytic capabilities to assess the matter critically and systematically. In terms of academic content, the course has three objectives: a) to enable students to learn the basics of theoretical perspective and analytical approaches to the study of the Western Balkans in the wider international economic, political and security context; b) to acquaint them with the foreign policy profile of six Western Balkans states; and c) increase their knowledge; and stimulate their interest in some of the current topics in regional relations within international relations. Of special consideration is the influence of external actors and their interests in the region: USA, EU, Russia, China and Turkey. The interests of external actors and how they affect regional conditions are considered in the context of the international market, migration, corruption, human rights, and issues of identity and sovereignty.

Enrolment requirements and/or entry competences required for the course: None

Learning outcomes at the level of the programme to which the course contributes: Analyse political ideas and processes in Southeast Europe

Expected learning outcomes at the level of the course:

(1) To gain the ability to assess regional political interests, foreign policy motives, ideas and political processes within the wider international context

(2) An advanced level of knowledge and understanding of the problems of Western Balkans region in the wider international context

(3) The ability to critically and systematically analyse regional relations and foreign policy objectives of Western Balkans states

(4) The ability to critically and systematically analyse regional relations in the context of contending interests of major international actors: US, EU, Russia, China and Turkey

(5) To be able to rationalize and distinguish interests and agency at the level of states, international organizations, regional forums and initiatives, as well as variety of socio-political issues: human rights, corruption, migration etc.

(6) Application of acquired knowledge to write scientific papers, policy reports or take part in debates, academic or otherwise.

Course content (syllabus):   

(1) Introduction to the course: Western Balkans and international relations

(2) International relations theories, perspectives and approaches to Western Balkans

(3) Small states: conducting foreign policy analysis

(4) Foreign policy profile (I): Albania and Northern Macedonia

(5) Foreign policy profile (II): Serbia and Montenegro

(6) Foreign policy profile (III): Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo

(7) EU and the Western Balkans: the challenges of enlargement

(8) US and the Western Balkans: keeper of regional status quo

(9) China/Russia/Turkey and the Western Balkans: revisionism from the East

(10) Western Balkans, international organizations and multilateral agreements (CEFTA, Open Balkans etc.)

(11) Crosscutting theme (I): migration crisis and Western Balkans

(12) Crosscutting theme (II): geopolitics of energy and resources in Western Balkans

(13) Crosscutting theme (III): corruption and authoritarianism in Western Balkans

(14) Crosscutting theme (IV): gender and minority rights in Western Balkans 

Format of instruction: lectures, seminars and workshops, independent assignments 

Student responsibilities:      

Monitoring student work: class attendance, research, oral exam, seminar paper, written exam

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2. Soeren Keil and Bernhard Stahl, The Foreign Policies of Post-Yugoslav States, Palgrave Macmillan, 2014.

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