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This course offers a comprehensive and critical examination of the political geography and geopolitics of the Balkan region from the 20th century to the present day. It begins with a foundational overview of the region’s territorial and political landscape, exploring how geography and identity intersect to shape the development of Balkan states.
The first section investigates the geopolitical ambitions of Balkan nation-states throughout the 20th century, with particular attention to expansionist ideologies such as Greater Serbia, Greater Croatia, Greater Albania, and Greater Macedonia. It also analyzes the strategic significance of the Balkans during the Cold War and the region’s role in the dissolution of the bipolar world order. The second section focuses on the political geography of the 1990s, emphasizing the territorial reconfigurations that followed the disintegration of Yugoslavia. Students will critically assess integrationist versus partitionist peace plans and apply typologies of warfare to the violent conflicts of the decade, particularly through the lens of "old" versus "new" wars. The third section shifts to the 21st century, examining the political evolution of Balkan states with a focus on authoritarian tendencies and the emergence of “stabilitocracy.” This is followed by an in-depth analysis of contemporary security challenges in the region, including right-wing extremism (e.g., the "Serbian World"), Russian geopolitical influence, Islamic radicalism (Wahhabism, Salafism), and the growing political and economic presence of Turkey and the Arab world. The course concludes by situating the Balkans within the broader global geopolitical landscape of the 21st century, evaluating the region’s strategic importance and the competing interests of global powers. Through lectures, seminar discussions, and case studies, students will gain a nuanced understanding of how geography, identity, ideology, and external influence converge to shape the geopolitics of the Balkans. The course is interdisciplinary in nature, drawing on political geography, international relations, history, and security studies. The course is open only for students of master's degree programmes. Poslední úprava: Hrubá Kateřina, Mgr. (28.01.2026)
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This course introduces students to the foundational concepts and theories of political geography and geopolitics, with a particular emphasis on their application to the Balkan region. It provides a critical framework for analyzing the geopolitical aspirations and territorial ideologies that have shaped the region throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, including the influential ideas of Greater Serbia, Greater Croatia, Greater Albania, and Greater Macedonia.
Students will examine the geopolitical significance of the Balkans during key moments of global transformation, such as the Cold War, the collapse of the bipolar world order, and the post-1991 reconfiguration of Eastern Europe. A major focus is placed on understanding the political geography of the post-Yugoslav space, with detailed attention to territorial changes, peace initiatives, and the typologies of conflict and warfare that emerged during the 1990s.
The course also explores the evolution of political and constitutional systems in the contemporary Balkans, highlighting the rise of authoritarianism, populism, and the concept of “stabilitocracy.” In parallel, it assesses current security threats in the region, including the resurgence of right-wing extremism, the influence of Russia, the spread of Islamic radicalism, and the growing geopolitical involvement of Turkey and Arab states. Students will evaluate the strategic position of the Balkans in 21st-century global geopolitics, considering the interests and actions of major international actors such as the European Union, NATO, the United States, Russia, and others. Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on developing students’ capacity for critical and spatial thinking in international relations by applying geopolitical theories to real-world political developments and territorial disputes. By integrating perspectives from geography, history, political science, and security studies, the course fosters interdisciplinary analysis and encourages students to engage in informed debate and reflection on the complex dynamics that continue to shape the Balkan region Poslední úprava: ZILA1 (02.07.2025)
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Criteria for Writing a Seminar Thesis When preparing your seminar thesis, please follow these basic requirements. They ensure clarity, academic rigor, and consistency across all submitted papers.
Length Requirements Your seminar thesis must be:
This length allows you to develop a clear argument, present evidence, and engage with academic literature in a focused way.
Bibliography (Minimum 10 References) You must include a final bibliography with at least 10 academic sources. These can include:
Wikipedia, random websites, and non-academic blogs do not count as valid references (!).
Your bibliography should be formatted consistently (e.g., Chicago, APA, MLA, etc.—choose one and adhere to it).
Formatting There are no strict requirements for:
However, your paper should remain readable and professionally formatted.
File Submission
Structure of the Seminar Thesis While not explicitly required, a good academic paper typically includes the following:
Academic Integrity All sources must be properly cited, using a consistent citation style.
Use of generative AI tools: The use and citation of generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT or MS Copilot) in seminar papers and other coursework must comply with the decrees of the IMS Director No. 7/2023 and 9/2023. Generative AI tools may be used unless explicitly prohibited by the instructor. However, they may not be used to generate substantial sections of the text or replace the student’s own intellectual contribution. The student remains fully responsible for any content generated with assistance of AI tools. Presenting AI-generated content, whether verbatim, rephrased, or only slightly modified, as one's own work constitutes plagiarism. Every submitted paper must include a transparent statement specifying which generative AI tools were used, in which stage of the work they were employed, and how they were used, or confirming that no generative AI tools were used. If this statement is missing or incomplete, the instructor is not permitted to accept the paper for evaluation. Unless the instructor explicitly prohibits the use of generative AI tools, the decision to use or not to use them rests fully with the student. The student has the right to request that the instructor does not use AI assistance for evaluating their work.
The final paper has to be submitted to my e-mail address ondrej.zila@fsv.cuni.cz and uploaded to Moodle (https://dl2.cuni.cz/course/view.php?id=3554) no later than 5 January 2026.
Assessment Criteria – Final Essay (Total: 70 points) Your final essay will be evaluated according to the following criteria. Please read them carefully to understand what is expected and how points are awarded.
Analysis – 20 points This is the core of your evaluation. We assess: · the quality and depth of your argument, · whether your reasoning is coherent, · whether your claims are plausible and logically developed, · your ability to engage critically with the topic. A strong essay presents clear arguments, anticipates counterarguments, and demonstrates original analytical insight.
Evidence – 20 points This category evaluates how effectively you support your arguments. You should: · use appropriate, relevant, and sufficient evidence, · reference academic literature, · show that you understand and can apply the sources, · integrate evidence logically rather than merely describing it. High-scoring essays demonstrate excellent command of the scholarly material and use it to strengthen the argument.
Research – 15 points We reward: · creativity, · original insights, · independent thinking, · the ability to go beyond the basic readings and to incorporate additional relevant literature. A strong essay shows that you conducted meaningful research and developed your own argument rather than repeating existing scholarship.
Organisation – 5 points Your essay must be clearly structured and easy to follow. It should include: · an Introduction: briefly outlines the purpose, argument, and structure of the essay; · a logical sequence of paragraphs with clear transitions; · a Conclusion: summarizes the central findings without introducing new information. Essays with unclear structure, unconnected paragraphs, or missing sections will lose points.
Style – 5 points This criterion concerns the quality of writing: · grammar and spelling, · clarity and conciseness, · appropriate academic tone, · effective sentence and paragraph structure. Well-written essays communicate ideas clearly and avoid colloquial language or unclear phrasing. Referencing and Bibliography – 5 points All essays must use Chicago Manual of Style consistently for: · in-text citations or footnotes, · bibliographic entries, · formatting of books, articles, chapters, and online sources. Incorrect or inconsistent citation style will reduce your score. Missing references or inadequate citation counts as poor academic practice.
Total: 70 points
You may choose one of the topics listed below or propose your own. In either case, please inform me by email.
Seminar Thesis Topics Based on the Case Studies I. Geopolitics in the Balkans Throughout the 20th Century 1) Political Geography of the Balkans – Introduction
2) The Geopolitical Importance of the Balkans
3) Greater Serbia – Territorial Concepts in the 20th Century
4) Greater Croatia – Territorial Concepts in the 20th Century
5) Greater Albania – Territorial Concepts in the 20th Century
6) The Balkans and the End of the Cold War
II. Political Geography of the Balkans During the 1990s 7 & 8) Territorial Changes After 1991
9) Typology of Wars – Old vs. New Wars
III. Political Geography of the Balkans in the 21st Century 10) Balkan Nation States and Their Constitutional Systems
11) Authoritarianism, Populism, and Stabilitocracy
Cross-Cutting or Interdisciplinary Topics
Poslední úprava: Žíla Ondřej, doc. PhDr., Ph.D. (08.12.2025)
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Political Geography of the Balkans in the 21st Century
General literature · MALEŠEVIĆ_Wars that Make States and Wars that Make Nations: Organised Violence, Nationalism and State Formation in the Balkans · MILLER, KAGAN_The Great Powers and Regional Conflicts_Eastern Europe and the Balkans from the PostNapoleonic Era to the Post-Cold War Era · LAZIĆ, TROUDE_Security-Challenges-and-the-Place-of-the-Balkans-and-Serbia-in-a-Changing-World-2 · Flint – Political geography (pdf) · Jones – An Introduction to Political Geography (pdf)
1) Political Geography of the Balkans – Introduction to the course
Required Reading Recommended Reading Mitrović, L.R. 2006. ‘The Geopolitical and Sociological Aspects of the Transition Process of a Region: From the Balkans towards South-Eastern Europe’, Facta universitatis - series: Philosophy, Sociology and Psychology 5, 1: 9–16. Nation, R.C. 2003. War in the Balkans, 1991-2002. Carlisle: Strategic Studies Institute, U.S. Army War College. Petrovic, M. 2008. ‘The Role of Geography and History in Determining the Slower Progress of Post-Communist Transition in the Balkans’, Communist and Post-Communist Studies 41, 2: 123–45. Rieber, A.J. 2022. Storms over the Balkans during the Second World War. First edition edn. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Sharevski, M. 2014. ‘The Balkans after 1991 through the Prism of Geopolitics’. Trapara, V. 2020. ‘The Balkans as Geopolitical Periphery of Eastern Europe – Past Implications for an Uncertain Future’ in A. Jović-Lazić and A. Troude (eds.), Security Challenges and the Place of the Balkans and Serbia. Belgrade: Institute of International Politics and Economics ; Faculty of Security Studies.
2) Balkan Nation States and their (great) territorial (geopolitical) concepts throughout 20. Century I. – Greater Serbia and Croatia
Krestić, V.Đ. 2022. ‘The Idea of a Greater Croatia and Genocide as an Instrument for Its Realization’, Napredak - časopis za političku teoriju i praksu 3, 2: 53–68. Lukic, R. 1994. ‘Greater Serbia: A New Reality in the Balkans’, Nationalities Papers 22, 1: 49–70. Macdonald, D.B. 2003. a. ‘Croatia, “Greater Serbianism”, and the Conflict between East and West’ in, Balkan Holocausts?: Serbian and Croatian Victim Centered Propaganda and the War in Yugoslavia. Manchester University Press. Macdonald, D.B. 2003. b. ‘“Greater Serbia” and “Greater Croatia”: The Moslem Question in Bosnia-Hercegovina’ in, Balkan Holocausts?: Serbian and Croatian Victim Centered Propaganda and the War in Yugoslavia. Manchester University Press.
3) Balkan Nation States and their (great) territorial (geopolitical) concepts throughout 20. Century II. – Greater Albania and Great Macedonia
Austin, R.C. 2006. ‘Chapter 9. Greater Albania: The Albanian State and the Question of Kosovo, 1912–2001’ in, Ideologies and National Identities : The Case of Twentieth-Century Southeastern Europe. Budapest: Central European University Press. Blumi, I. 1998. ‘The Commodification of Otherness and the Ethnic Unit in the Balkans: How to Think about Albanians’, East European Politics and Societies 12, 3: 527–69. Guzman, S. 2021. ‘A Greater Or A Lesser Albania? The Roots Of The Albanian Nationalist Movement And The Call For A “Greater Albania”’, Boletim do Tempo Presente 10, 06: 15–27. Hilaj, A. 2013. ‘The Albanian National Question and the Myth of Greater Albania’, The Journal of Slavic Military Studies. Voss, C. 2007. ‘GREAT MACEDONIA AS A “MENTAL MAP” IN THE 20TH AND 21ST CENTURY’, Sprawy Narodowościowe 31: 163–9. a) WIELAND_One Macedonia With Three Faces-
4) The Balkans in the geopolitics of powers during the dissolution of the bipolar world
Bassuener, K.W. 2022. ‘The Reluctant, Intermittent Interventionist: US Foreign Policy in the Former Yugoslavia 1991—to Date.’ in S. Keil and B. Stahl (eds.), A New Eastern Question? Great Powers and the Post-Yugoslav States. Stuttgart: Ibidem Verlag. Bechev, D.C. 2017. Rival Power: Russia’s Influence in Southeast Europe. New Haven ; and London: Yale University Press. 1. chapter CIA. 1990. National Intelligence Estimate 15-90: Yugoslavia Transformed 1990-10-01. Gow, J. 1997. Triumph of the Lack of Will: International Diplomacy and the Yugoslav War. London: Hurst & Company. Gallagher, T. 2003. The Balkans after the Cold War: From Tyranny to Tragedy. Outcast Europe. London: Routledge. 2 and 3. chapter Glaurdić, J. 2011. The Hour of Europe: Western Powers and the Breakup of Yugoslavia. New Haven ; and London: Yale University Press. 9. chapter Klemenčić, M. 2009. ‘The International Community and the FRY/Belligerents, 1989–1997’ in, Confronting the Yugoslav Controversies: A Scholars’ Initiative. Purdue University Press. Libal, M. 1997. Limits of Persuasion: Germany and the Yugoslav Crisis, 1991-1992. 1st pub edn. Westport: Praeger. Mladenov, M. 2022. ‘Rediscovering an Old Playbook: Serbia and the Great Powers’ in S. Keil and B. Stahl (eds.), A New Eastern Question? Great Powers and the Post-Yugoslav States. Stuttgart: Ibidem Verlag. Samorukov, M. 2022. ‘A Playfield of Distancing: Russia’s Policy Towards the PostYugoslav States’ in S. Keil and B. Stahl (eds.), A New Eastern Question? Great Powers and the Post-Yugoslav States. Stuttgart: Ibidem Verlag. Shoup, P.S. 2007. ‘The Disintegration of Yugoslavia and Western Foreign Policy in the 1980s’ in, State Collapse in South-Eastern Europe: New Perspectives on Yugoslavia’s Disintegration. Purdue University Press. Touval, S. 2002. Mediation in the Yugoslav Wars. London: Palgrave Macmillan UK. Woodward, S.L. 1996. ‘The West and the International Organisations’ in, Yugoslavia and After. Routledge.
5) Territorial changes in the Balkans after 1991 and their geopolitical significance: Integrationist and partitionist ideas of peaceful solutions Campbell, D. 1999. ‘Apartheid Cartography: The Political Anthropology and Spatial Effects of International Diplomacy in Bosnia’, Political Geography 18, 4: 395–435. Downes, A.B. 2006. ‘More Borders, Less Conflict? Partition as a Solution to Ethnic Civil Wars’, SAIS Review of International Affairs 26, 1: 49–61. Fearon, J.D. 2004. ‘Separatist Wars, Partition, and World Order’, Security Studies 13, 4: 394–415. Jenne, E.K. 2009. ‘The Paradox of Ethnic Partition: Lessons from de Facto Partition in Bosnia and Kosovo’, Regional & Federal Studies 19, 2: 273–89. Johnson, C. 2008. ‘Partitioning to Peace: Sovereignty, Demography, and Ethnic Civil Wars’, International Security 32, 4: 140–70. Kaufmann, C. 1996. ‘Possible and Impossible Solutions to Ethnic Civil Wars’, International security 20, 4: 136–75. Kaufmann, C. 1998. ‘When All Else Fails: Ethnic Population Transfers and Partitions in the Twentieth Century’, International Security 23, 2: 120–56. Kumar, R. 1997. ‘The Troubled History of Partition’, Foreign Affairs 76, 1: 22–34. Mearsheimer, J.J. 1993. Opinion | Shrink Bosnia to Save It, The New York Times. Mearsheimer, J.J., and Van Evera, S. 1995. ‘When Peace Means War’, New Republic 18: 16–21. Pape, R.A. 1997. ‘Partition: An Exit Strategy for Bosnia’, Survival 39, 4: 25–8. Sambanis, N. 2000. ‘Partition as a Solution to Ethnic War: An Empirical Critique of the Theoretical Literature’, World politics 52, 4: 437–83. Schindler, S. 2003. ‘Bosnia after Dayton, Nationalist Partition and International Intervention (Review)’, Mediterranean Quarterly 14, 3: 122–5. Stroschein, S. 2005. ‘Examining Ethnic Violence and Partition in Bosnia-Herzegovina’, Ethnopolitics 4, 1: 49–64.
6) Typology of wars in ex-Yugoslav countries – Old vs. New Wars, organized violence
Booth, K. 2001. ‘New Wars for Old’, Civil Wars 4, 2: 163–70. Bougarel, X. 1999. ‘Yugoslav Wars: The Revenge of the Countryside’between Sociological Reality and Nationalist Myth’, East European Quaterly 33, 2: 157–75. Ferguson, K. 2020. Architectures of Violence: The Command Structures of Modern Mass Atrocities, from Yugoslavia to Syria. Oxford, United Kingdom New York, NY: Oxford University Press – Introduction part Henderson, E., and and Singer, J. 2002. ‘“New Wars” and Rumors of “New Wars”’, International Interactions 28, 2: 165–90. Kaldor, M. 2013. New and Old Wars: Organised Violence in a Global Era. John Wiley & Sons. Kalyvas, S.N. 2001. ‘“New” And “Old” Civil Wars: A Valid Distinction?’, World Politics 54, 1: 99–118. Kalyvas, S.N. 2006. The Logic of Violence in Civil War. Cambridge Studies in Comparative Politics. First published edn. New York: Cambridge University Press. Klemenčić, M. 2009. ‘The International Community and the FRY/Belligerents, 1989–1997’ in, Confronting the Yugoslav Controversies: A Scholars’ Initiative. Purdue University Press. Langer, A. 2012. ‘Differences in Patterns During the Yugoslav Wars’, https://www.e-ir.info/2012/12/01/the-farther-south-you-go-the-sadder-it-gets-differences-in-patterns-of-violence-between-slovenia-croatia-and-bosnia-hercegovina/. (Accessed 1 July 2025). Malešević, S. 2008. ‘The Sociology of New Wars? Assessing the Causes and Objectives of Contemporary Violent Conflicts’, International Political Sociology 2, 2: 97–112. Malešević, S., and Ó Dochartaigh, N. 2018. ‘Why Combatants Fight: The Irish Republican Army and the Bosnian Serb Army Compared’, Theory and Society 47, 3: 293–326.
7) Balkan Nation States and their political and constitutional systems in the 21st Century
Avguštin, J. 2022. ‘YUGOSLAVIA— FROM VARDAR TO TRIGLAV NO MORE’ in S. Keil and B. Stahl (eds.), A New Eastern Question? Great Powers and the Post-Yugoslav States. Stuttgart: Ibidem Verlag. Banchev, B. 2021. ‘Serbia: Factor or Threat for Regional Security’ in A. Kostov (ed.), Contemporary Balkans. The Challenges of the 21st Century. Sofia: Tendril Publishing House. Bartlett, W. 2000. ‘Economic Transformation and Democratisation in the Balkans’ in G. Pridham and T. Gallagher (eds.), Experimenting with Democracy. Routledge. Bieber, F. 2019. ‘Conclusion: Rethinking Europeanisation’ in J. Džankić, S. Keil and M. Kmezić (eds.), The Europeanisation of the Western Balkans: A Failure of EU Conditionality? Cham: Palgrave. J. Džankić, S. Keil and M. Kmezić (eds.). 2019. ‘Introduction’ in, The Europeanisation of the Western Balkans: A Failure of EU Conditionality? Cham: Palgrave. Hinkova, S. 2021. ‘A Decade of Dilemmas in the EU Enlargement with Western Balkan States’ in A. Kostov (ed.), Contemporary Balkans. The Challenges of the 21st Century. Sofia: Tendril Publishing House. Laštro, C., and Bieber, F. 2023. ‘Democratic Patterns and Party Systems in the Western Balkans’, Zeitschrift für Vergleichende Politikwissenschaft 17, 1: 59–75.
8) The Rise of Authoritarianism and Populism in the Balkans in the 21st Century - Stabilitocracy
Arman, M.N. 2023. ‘Stabilocracy and the Durability of Illiberal Practices in the Western Balkans’, The Eurasia Proceedings of Educational and Social Sciences 29: 24–32. Bieber, F. 2020. The Rise of Authoritarianism in the Western Balkans. New Perspectives on South-East Europe. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan. Kapidžić, D. 2022. ‘The Rise of Illiberal Politics in Southeast Europe’ in D. Kapidžić and V. Stojarová (eds.), Illiberal Politics in Southeast Europe: How Ruling Elites Undermine Democracy. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. epub Kmezic, M., and Bieber, F. 2017. The Crisis of Democracy in the Western Balkans: An Anatomy of Stabilitocracy and the Limits of EU Democracy Promotion. BiEPAG. Pavlović, S. 2017. ‘West Is Best: How “Stabilitocracy” Undermines Democracy Building in the Balkans - EUROPP’, https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2017/05/05/west-is-best-how-stabilitocracy-undermines-democracy-building-in-the-balkans/. (Accessed 1 July 2025). Stojarová, V. 2022. ‘Moving towards EU Membership and Away from Liberal Democracy’ in D. Kapidžić and V. Stojarová (eds.), Illiberal Politics in Southeast Europe: How Ruling Elites Undermine Democracy. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. Epub
9) The security threats in the Balkans I. – Right-Wing Extremism – ‘Serbian World’
Bakić, J. 2009. ‘Extreme-Right Ideology, Practice and Supporters: Case Study of the Serbian Radical Party’, Journal of Contemporary European Studies 17, 2: 193–207. Dzombic, J. 2014. ‘Rightwing Extremism in Serbia’, Race & Class 55, 4: 106–10. pdf chybí Guerra, N. 2025. ‘The Link between Right-Wing Political Radicalism and Geopolitical Action. The Yugoslav Wars and the Action of the Opposing Factions of the European Extreme Right’, Critical Studies on Terrorism 18, 1: 295–323. Jovanović, S.M. 2018. ‘The Dveri Movement Through a Discursive Lens. Serbia’s Contemporary Right-Wing Nationalism’, Comparative Southeast European Studies 66, 4: 481–502. Karcic, H., and Hanson-Green, M. 2024. ‘“Remove Kebab”: The Appeal of Serbian Nationalist Ideology among the Global Far Right’, Journal of Right-Wing Studies 2, 1. Ljubomirović, A. 2024. a. ‘Creating the “Serbian World”: Qualitative Content Analysis of Public Statements Regarding the Concept and Defining Its Dimensions’, Nacionalni interes - časopis za nacionalna i državna pitanja 48, 2: 105–33. Ljubomirović, A. 2024. b. ‘Qualitative Content Analysis of Public Statements about the “Serbian World” Concept: A Critical Review by Its Opponents’, Politička revija 82, 4: 233–62. Ljubomirović, A. 2024. c. ‘COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE “SERBIAN WORLD” AND “GREATER SERBIA” CONCEPTS’, KULTURA POLISA 21, 3: 122–51. Stojarová, V. 2013. The Far Right in the Balkans. 1st pub edn. Manchester ; New York: Manchester University Press. CHAPTER 3 and 4.
10) The security threats in the Balkans II. – Russian influence Bechev, D.C. 2017. Rival Power: Russia’s Influence in Southeast Europe. New Haven ; and London: Yale University Press. 2. CHAPTER Boyadjieva, N. 2021. ‘The Russian Federation and the Balkans’ in A. Kostov (ed.), Contemporary Balkans. The Challenges of the 21st Century. Sofia: Tendril Publishing House. Cruz, M. 2021. ‘Russia in the Western Balkans: Interests and Tools of Influence’ in H. Mölder, V. Sazonov, A. Chochia and T. Kerikmäe (eds.), The Russian Federation in Global Knowledge Warfare: Influence Operations in Europe and Its Neighbourhood. Cham: Springer International Publishing. Dević, A. 2019. ‘The Eurasian Wings of Serbia: Serbian Affinities of the Russian Radical Right’ in V. Perry (ed.), Extremism and Violent Extremism in Serbia: 21st Century Manifestations of an Historical Challenge. Stuttgart, Germany: Ibidem Verlag. Jagiełło, B. 2021. ‘The Balkan Kettle: Russia’s Policy toward the Balkans’, Security and Defence Quarterly 35, 3: 47–61. Kuçi, G. 2024. ‘RUSSIA’S HYBRID WARFARE IN THE WESTERN BALKANS: GEOPOLITICAL STRATEGIES AND PROXY ACTORS’, Octopus Journal: Hybrid Warfare & Strategic Conflicts 3: 27. McBride, J. 2023. Russia’s Influence in the Balkans | Council on Foreign Relations. Oosterveld, W., Phillips, M., Roos, H., Schneider, B., van Manen, H., Schermers, B., Rademaker, M., and Browne-Wilkinson, D. 2019. Geopolitical Influences of External Powers in the Western Balkans. The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies. Samorukov, M. 2022. ‘A Playfield of Distancing: Russia’s Policy Towards the PostYugoslav States’ in S. Keil and B. Stahl (eds.), A New Eastern Question? Great Powers and the Post-Yugoslav States. Stuttgart: Ibidem Verlag. Šćepanović, J. 2023. ‘Russia, the Western Balkans, and the Question of Status’, East European Politics and Societies 37, 3: 1059–83. doplnit Vrbetic, M. 2024. ‘Protecting Dayton’s Shared Governance by Countering Faux Narratives of Russia’s Influence in Bosnia and Herzegovina’, National security and the future 25, 1: 213–86. Zoric, B., and Holzer, J. 2024. ‘Russia in the Balkans in the 21st Century: Conflicts, Activities and Perspectives’, Annales Universitatis Mariae Curie-Sklodowska, sectio M – Balcaniensis et Carpathiensis 9, 0: 9–30.
11) The security threats in the Balkans II. – Islamic radicalism (Wahhabism, Salafism)
Beljo, M., and Zadro, L. 2023. ‘Mujahideen in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1992 until 1995’ in M. Dragnea, J. Fitsanakis, D. Trifunović, J.M. Nomikos, V. Stamevski and A. Cupcea (eds.), Aspects of Islamic Radicalization in the Balkans after the Fall of Communism. Lausanne ; Berlin ; Bruxelles ; Chennai ; New York ; Oxford: Peter Lang. Cross, S., and Vukadinović, R. 2013. ‘Shaping the Twenty-First Century International Security Community in South East Europe and Beyond: An Introduction’ in S. Cross, S. Kentera, R. Vukadinović and R.C. Nation (eds.), Shaping South East Europe’s Security Community for the Twenty-First Century: Trust, Partnership, Integration. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Dragnea, M. 2023. ‘Introduction: Post- Communist Encounters in Islamic Faith and Security in the Balkans’ in M. Dragnea, J. Fitsanakis, D. Trifunović, J.M. Nomikos, V. Stamevski and A. Cupcea (eds.), Aspects of Islamic Radicalization in the Balkans after the Fall of Communism. Lausanne ; Berlin ; Bruxelles ; Chennai ; New York ; Oxford: Peter Lang. M. Dragnea, J. Fitsanakis, D. Trifunović, J.M. Nomikos, V. Stamevski and A. Cupcea (eds.). 2023. Aspects of Islamic Radicalization in the Balkans after the Fall of Communism. South-East European History. Lausanne ; Berlin ; Bruxelles ; Chennai ; New York ; Oxford: Peter Lang. Kocjanić, K. 2023. ‘Beyond the Balkans: Islamist Terrorism in Europe with Balkan Connections’ in M. Dragnea, J. Fitsanakis, D. Trifunović, J.M. Nomikos and V. Stamevski (eds.), Aspects of Islamic Radicalization in the Balkans after the Fall of Communism. Lausanne ; Berlin ; Bruxelles ; Chennai ; New York ; Oxford: Peter Lang. Marioras, M. 2023. ‘Mujahideen in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1992 until 1995’ in M. Dragnea, J. Fitsanakis, D. Trifunović, J.M. Nomikos, V. Stamevski and A. Cupcea (eds.), Aspects of Islamic Radicalization in the Balkans after the Fall of Communism. Lausanne ; Berlin ; Bruxelles ; Chennai ; New York ; Oxford: Peter Lang. Metodieva, A. 2018. ‘Balkan Foreign Fighters Are Coming Back: What Should Be Done?’, STRATPOL, January. Metodieva, A. 2021. a. ‘9/11 LEGACIES │ Islamist Radicalism in the Balkans’. Metodieva, A. 2021. b. ‘The Radical Milieu and Radical Influencers of Bosnian Foreign Fighters’, Studies in Conflict & Terrorism. Nomikos, J.M., and Fitsanakis, J. 2023. ‘Conclusion: The Trajectory of Islamist Militancy in the Balkans’ in M. Dragnea, J. Fitsanakis, D. Trifunović, J.M. Nomikos and V. Stamevski (eds.), Aspects of Islamic Radicalization in the Balkans after the Fall of Communism. Lausanne ; Berlin ; Bruxelles ; Chennai ; New York ; Oxford: Peter Lang. Simeunović, D., and Dolnik, R. 2013. ‘Security Threats of Violent Islamist Extremism and Terrorism for South East Europe and Beyond’ in S. Cross, S. Kentera, R. Vukadinović and R.C. Nation (eds.), Shaping South East Europe’s Security Community for the Twenty-First Century: Trust, Partnership, Integration. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
12) The security threats in the Balkans IV. – Turkish and Arab influence
Abazi, E. 2021. ‘Geopolitics in the Western Balkans: Linkages, Leverages and Gatekeepers’, Academicus - International Scientific Journal. Agolli, K. ‘The Geopolitical Influence of Turkey in the Western Balkans – Jus&Justicia’, Jus & Justicia 15, 2: 23–40. Bieber, F., and Tzifakis, N. 2019. BiEPAG - Policy Brief: The Western Balkans as a Geopolitical Chessboard? Myths, Realities and Policy Options. Bülent, Ş. 2019. ‘The Maın Structural Factors that Make the Balkans Important for Turkısh Foreıgn Polıcy’, Codrul Cosminului 25, 2: 369–88. Karagyozov, M. 2021. ‘Turkey: Ambitions in a Stormy Sea’ in A. Kostov (ed.), Contemporary Balkans. The Challenges of the 21st Century. Sofia: Tendril Publishing House. Mankoff, J. 2022. Empires of Eurasia: How Imperial Legacies Shape International Security. Yale University Press. Oosterveld, W., Phillips, M., Roos, H., Schneider, B., van Manen, H., Schermers, B., Rademaker, M., and Browne-Wilkinson, D. 2019. Geopolitical Influences of External Powers in the Western Balkans. The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies. Öztürk, A.E. 2021. Religion, Identity and Power: Turkey and the Balkans in the Twenty-First Century. Edinburgh Studies on Modern Turkey. Edinburgh: Edinburgh university press. Troude, A. 2021. ‘The Deployment of Turkish Power in the Balkans’ in S. Janković (ed.), Convergence and Confrontation: The Balkans and the Middle East in the 21st Century
13) The Balkans in the geopolitics of powers during the 21st Century
Barbaro, F. 2024. ‘The Balkans as a Transitional Region Between Internal Circles and Global Squarings in the Paradigm of Hybrid Power’ in D. Proroković, P. Sellari and R. Mifsud (eds.), Global Security and International Relations After the Escalation of the Ukrainian Crisis. Belgrade ; Rome ; Clarksville (TN) ; Belgrade: Institute of International Politics ; Economics ; Sapienza University, Department of Political Science ; Austin Peay State University ; Faculty of Security, University of Belgrade. Bieber, F., and Tzifakis, N. 2019. BiEPAG - Policy Brief: The Western Balkans as a Geopolitical Chessboard? Myths, Realities and Policy Options. Jaćimović, D., Deichmann, J.I., and Tianping, K. 2023. ‘The Western Balkans and Geopolitics: Leveraging the European Union and China’, Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies 25, 4: 626–43. Janković, S. 2021. ‘Geopolitics of the Balkans: 2019-2021’, The Review of International Affairs LXXII, 1182: 5–26. Keil, S., and Stahl, B. 2022. ‘The European Union and the Post-Yugoslav States—From Negligence to Dominance and Back’ in S. Keil and B. Stahl (eds.), A New Eastern Question? Great Powers and the Post-Yugoslav States. Stuttgart: Ibidem Verlag. Mihaylov, V. 2024. ‘Geopolitical Positioning of a Small State: Serbia in the Shadow of Yugoslavia’s “Third Way”’, Central European Journal of International and Security Studies 18, 2: 71–102. Perica, V. 2019. ‘Hundred Years Since Yugoslavia’s Birth: Lesson on Nationalism, Balkanization, and Religion in Europe’s Periphery’, Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe 39, 1. Simurdić, M., Teokarević, J., Minić, J., and Djukanović, D. 2016. Western Balkans between Geography and Geopolitics. Troude, A. 2024. ‘The Western Balkans: Between Breakup and Regional Restructuring’ in D. Proroković, P. Sellari and R. Mifsud (eds.), Global Security and International Relations After the Escalation of the Ukrainian Crisis. Belgrade ; Rome ; Clarksville (TN) ; Belgrade: Institute of International Politics ; Economics ; Sapienza University, Department of Political Science ; Austin Peay State University ; Faculty of Security, University of Belgrade. Vasić, N. 2021. ‘Non-Papers of the Republic of Slovenia and Different Views on the Future of the Western Balkans Region’ in S. Janković (ed.), Convergence and Confrontation: The Balkans and the Middle East in the 21st Century. Belgrade: Institute of International Politics and Economics. Vilanova, P., and López, O. 2010. ‘Twenty Years after the End of the Bipolar World. The Disintegration of Yugoslavia: Paradigm or Exception?’, https://www.iemed.org/publication/twenty-years-after-the-end-of-the-bipolar-world-the-disintegration-of-yugoslavia-paradigm-or-exception/. (Accessed 2 July 2025).
Poslední úprava: ZILA1 (02.07.2025)
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Standard face-to-face teaching.
Regular reading of the required texts for every single class is obligatory for all participants without exception.
In all the written text you submit, please follow these rules for the legitimate/illegitimate use of (generative) AI tools: You are entirely free to use generative AI for preparatory tasks, such as brainstorming, idea generation, or searching for relevant literature, as well as for language corrections. However, do not use AI to generate the text you submit as your own work. In other words, no part of your submitted text itself may be AI-generated, except for the language corrections noted above. Use of generative AI tools: The use and citation of generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT or MS Copilot) in seminar papers and other coursework must comply with the decrees of the IMS Director No. 7/2023 and 9/2023. Generative AI tools may be used unless explicitly prohibited by the instructor. However, they may not be used to generate substantial sections of the text or replace the student’s own intellectual contribution. The student remains fully responsible for any content generated with assistance of AI tools. Presenting AI-generated content, whether verbatim, rephrased, or only slightly modified, as one's own work constitutes plagiarism. Every submitted paper must include a transparent statement specifying which generative AI tools were used, in which stage of the work they were employed, and how they were used, or confirming that no generative AI tools were used. If this statement is missing or incomplete, the instructor is not permitted to accept the paper for evaluation. Unless the instructor explicitly prohibits the use of generative AI tools, the decision to use or not to use them rests fully with the student. The student has the right to request that the instructor does not use AI assistance for evaluating their work.
Poslední úprava: Lochmanová Sára, Mgr. (08.10.2025)
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In terms of assessment, this is how you will be assessed in this course:
30% activity in the class (class reading) - ability to answer the questions and formulate own view, based on readings.
70% final paper based on readings and classes. A) 100 - 91% (B) 90 - 81% (C) 80- 71% (D) 70-61 (E) 60-51 (F) less than 50%
Based on Dean's Measure 20/2019: https://fsv.cuni.cz/deans-measure-no-20/2019
Note on plagiarism Students should follow the rules of academic conduct. Any instance of plagiarism will be immediately delivered to the Disciplinary commission for further decision. Please, consult any uncertainties with the lecturer before you submit your paper.
In all the written text you submit, please follow these rules for the legitimate/illegitimate use of (generative) AI tools:
You are entirely free to use generative AI for preparatory tasks, such as brainstorming, idea generation, or searching for relevant literature, as well as for language corrections. However, do not use AI to generate the text you submit as your own work. In other words, no part of your submitted text itself may be AI-generated, except for the language corrections noted above.
Poslední úprava: ZILA1 (14.09.2025)
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Introduction 1) Political Geography of the Balkans – Introduction to the course (1.10.)
Geopolitics in the Balkans throughout the 20th Century 2) Balkan Nation States and their (great) territorial (geopolitical) concepts throughout the 20th Century I. – Greater Serbia and Croatia (8.10.) 3) Balkan Nation States and their (great) territorial (geopolitical) concepts throughout the 20th Century II. – Greater Albania and Great Macedonia (15.10.) 4) The Balkans in the geopolitics of powers during the dissolution of the bipolar world - The International Community and the Disintegration of Yugoslavia (22.10.)
Political geography of the Balkans during the 1990s 5) Territorial changes in the Balkans after 1991 and their geopolitical significance: Integrationist and partitionist ideas of peaceful solutions 29.10.) 6) Typology of wars in ex-Yugoslav countries – Old vs. New Wars, organized violence (5.11.)
Political geography of the Balkans in the 21st Century 7) Balkan Nation States and their political and constitutional systems in the 21st Century (12.11.) 8) The Rise of Authoritarianism and Populism in the Balkans in the 21st Century – Stabilitocracy (19.11.)
Security threats in the Balkans in the 21st Century 9) The security threats in the Balkans I. – Right-Wing Extremism – ‘Serbian World’ (26.11.) 10) The security threats in the Balkans II. – Russian influence (10.12.) 11) The security threats in the Balkans III. – Islamic radicalism (Wahhabism, Salafism) (17.12.) 12) The security threats in the Balkans IV– Turkish and Arab influence (7.1.) Poslední úprava: ZILA1 (31.08.2025)
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