Feb 25

(Beyond) Nationalism and Xenophobia in Central and Eastern Europe Info Session

Tue, February 25, 2025 • 5:00pm - 6:00pm (1h) • Leighton 304

A country by the Black Sea, Romania bridges Western Europe with the Balkans and the Middle East, with Russia and Ukraine. A space of increasing geopolitical interest, Romania is also a place with a fascinating and tumultuous history in which diverse cultures encountered, inspired, and challenged each other throughout time. Despite its still vibrant ethnic diversity and variegated traditions, Romanian society and politics are still confronted, as everywhere in the world today, with strong nationalistic and xenophobic values and attitudes. The OCS program will explore the socio-cultural and political factors that contribute to nationalism and xenophobia in Romania and in the larger area of Eastern and Central Europe, as well as the promise that social and cultural diversity in this part of the world might bear for the development of cosmopolitan sensibilities in the citizens.

The capital of Romania, Bucharest provides an ideal location for the program. The city’s history brings together a diverse cluster of influences: Western, Ottoman/Balkan, Russian, and Soviet. We will use the complexity and the tensions of Bucharest to explore the complex ways in which society, culture, and politics interact with each other in the process of nation-building. We will also travel inside and outside Romania. We will explore the Romanian region of Transylvania and will stop in several of its beautiful cities. One of them is Cluj, a major academic city in the Western part of Romania, with a significant Hungarian minority. Another city is Sibiu, in the Southern part of Transylvania, a place that still retains the memory of its strong German presence throughout history. Last but not least we will add a hint of ‘the Balkans’ to our experience. We will spend several days in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia and a week in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Here we will visit the capital, Sarajevo, and the charming city of Mostar, which has, unfortunately, such a tragic history.

Event Contact: Fabia Calabresi Dennison
Event Link: for More Information

Event Summary

(Beyond) Nationalism and Xenophobia in Central and Eastern Europe Info Session
  • Intended For: General Public, Students, Faculty, Staff, Emeriti, Alums, Prospective Students, Families
  • Categories: Info Session/Fair

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