Interdisciplinary Summer School on Forced Displacement

Center on Forced Displacement (CFD) opens a call for applications for its first Summer School on Forced Displacement to be held July 17 – 29, 2023 in Belgrade, Serbia.

This program is created in partnership with: 

• Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Belgrade 
• King’s College London,
• Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Sarajevo 
• Sarajevo School of Science and Technology. 

Program Background and Objectives 

Long before the beginning of the migration “crisis” in 2015, the US and the European Union began working on establishing strict border regimes that limit the access to their territories and asylum processing systems for people on the move. Asylum seekers and migrants arriving to European land and shores are being “pushed-back” to Western Balkan states, abandoned or pushed back at sea, or held in legal limbo in EU states such as Greece as they await almost certain deportation. These are just some of the tools and policies used as part of the strategy to prevent migrants from reaching European borders. 

When and why did these border strategies develop, and what unique and common histories brought them into existence? What is the current impact of these policies on migrants and their hosts? How do the policies of border externalization manifest? How do migrants and those who work in solidarity with them organize to support or oppose certain policies? In this two week intensive course, students from all disciplines and from different universities will explore these questions through weekly journals, lectures and seminars run by researchers and scholars from partner universities, hands-on workshops and site visits  and discussions with nonprofit organizations, service providers, policymakers, and government officials. 

The main objectives of this summer school are: 

• Bridge the gap between academic research and practice and connect scholars with practitioners, artists and activists working in the field of forced displacement; 
• Create a hub for researchers and practitioners to meet and work on new research projects; 
• Create space for thinking about, discussing, and designing innovative solutions to current issues and challenges of forced displacement; 
• Design and use innovative pedagogical tools and approaches to interdisciplinary, critical studies of forced displacement; 
• Educate a new generation of researchers and practitioners in forced displacement. 

Application Requirements and Eligibility 

The program is open to all BU students. Students can apply for this program through the BU provided application FORM (students from partner universities can apply through their own school/program). All applications will be reviewed by CFD selection committee and selected students will be invited for an interview. 

The deadline for applications is March 15th, 2023. 

(Please note that all accepted students will be required to participate in several online pre-departure sessions in the period of July 3-July 14.) 

Program Cost and Expenses 

Travel and accommodation expenses for all BU students accepted to the program will be covered by the Boston University Center on Forced Displacement. CFD will also cover local transportation expenses which are part of the program as well as any additional excursions and group dinners and lunches. Students should expect to cover their own personal expenses and food as the program will not provide group meals every day.

For questions or more information, please contact our Director of Programs Marina Lazetic at mlazetic@bu.edu.

To learn more about the program, join us for one of our INFO SESSIONS.