Summer Program on Forced Migration and Borders 2023

During the two weeks, 21 students from Serbia, Bosnia, and the United States participated in a variety of seminars, presentations, discussions and research projects run by researchers, activists, government officials, artists, and scholars from around the world. The students as well as the presenters from different disciplines and sectors came together to represent issues and discuss projects related to forced displacement and migrations. They analyzed current and past patterns of displacement and border management policies from the perspective of international relations, law, chemistry, social work, religious studies, gender studies, medicine, etc. The themes discussed included: a history of Western Balkan migration patterns; migration routes and journeys; art, activism, and representation; legal obligations and obstacles; models of care; migration through the gender lens; resilience and solidarity; critical perspectives on migration and security; and migration, positionality, and research.

Summer Program on Forced Migration and Borders in Belgrade, Serbia 

Full Schedule

July 17-July 28, 2023

Week 1 

Arrival and settling in  (over the weekend) – July 15 and 16 

  • Arrival in Belgrade 
  • Settling in at the hotel

Day 1, July 17, 2023  – Introductions and Welcome 

9.30am – 10.00am Breakfast 
10.00am – 10.45am Intro Conversation and the Overview of the Program

Discussion leaders: Marina Lažetić, CFD and  Natalija Perišić, FPN 

  • Opening remarks and overview of the program 
  • Going over basic terms and definitions 
10.45am – 11.00am Coffee Break 
11.00am – 12.30pm

Room Number 3

 Seminar: Migration – European and Serbian Context 

Panelists: 

Moderator: Marina Lažetić, Director of Programs, Center on 

Forced Displacement, Boston University 
12.30pm – 1.30pm Lunch 
1.30pm – 2.30pm  Activity: Introduction of group work/projects 
2.30-4.00pm  Group Work 

Readings: 

Day 2, July 18, 2023  – Theme: A Brief History of WB Migration Patterns  – Policies and Current Day Challenges 

10.00am-11.30am Game Day – Learning About Migration – Activity organized and run by Maja Savić-Bojanić, Sarajevo School of Science and Technology
11.30am – 12.00pm  Coffee Break 
12.00pm – 1.30pm Seminar: Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina  – EU relations and its implications regarding borders and migration 

Presenters: 

Moderator: Teodora Jovanović, Research Assistant, The 

Institute of Ethnography SASA 
1.30pm – 2.30pm  Lunch 
2.30pm – 4pm Seminar: UNHCR Perspectives: Forcibly Displaced Persons From the Yugoslav Wars and the Current “Migration Crisis” 

Moderator: Danijela Pavlović, Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade 
6.00pm  Welcome Dinner for all Participants and Facilitators 

Readings: 

Day 3, July 19, 2023  – Theme: Migration Routes and Journeys 

10am -11.30am Conversation about migration drivers with Teodora Jovanovic and Marina Lazetic 
11.30am – 12.00pm Coffee Break 
12.00pm – 1.30pm  Seminar: “Migration Crisis” and the Balkan Route – Government Response and Migrant Journeys 

Presenter: 

Moderator: Jelena Birmančević
1.30pm – 2.30pm  Lunch
2.30pm – 4.30pm Activity: Sensory walk – A structured exploration of the city led by Teodora Jovanović, Researcher, The Institute of Ethnography SASA

Readings: 

Day 4, July 20, 2023   – Theme: Art,Activism, and Representation 

10am -11.30am Sensory Walk Follow-Up with Teodora Jovanovic
11.30am – 12.00pm Coffee Break 
12.00pm – 1.30pm  Practitioner Conversations: Dženet Koko, Journalist, Photographer and Filmmaker
1.30pm – 2.30pm  Lunch
2.30pm – 4.30pm Art Workshop with Rhode Island School of Design

Facilitator: Pouya Ahmadi, Associate Professor, RISD
6.00pm Informal Group Reflection Night (at the student hotel)

Readings: 

Day 5, July 21, 2023  – Theme: Legal Obligations and Obstacles 

10.00am – 11.30am NGO Conversation: Grupa 484  

             Presenter: 

  • Gordana Grujičić, Researcher, Grupa 484 

Moderated by Professor Perišić
11.30am – 11.45pm Coffee Break 
11.45pm – 1.15pm Seminar: Unaccompanied and Separated Minors on the Move

Presenters: 

Moderator: Sanja Polić Penavić, University of Belgrade 
1.15pm – 2.00pm Lunch
2.30pm – 4.30pm Group Work 
4.30pm-6.30pm  Facilitators only: CFD Book Workshop (online session) 

Readings:

Week 2

Day 8, July 24, 2023  – Theme: Models of Care  

10am – 11.30am NGO Conversation: Workshops with Belgrade Center for Human Rights 

Presenter: 

  • Marko Štambuk, BCHR
11.30am – 12.00pm Coffee Break 
12.00-1.30pm Seminar: Health and Life in Transit

Presenters:

Moderator: Danijela Pavlović, University of Belgrade 
1.30pm – 2pm Lunch
2.00pm-2.30pm Walk to the US Embassy 
3.00pm – 4.00pm  US Embassy in Belgrade Visit 

Readings:

Day 9, July 25, 2023  – Theme: Migration Through the Gender Lens

10.00am – 11.30am NGO Conversations: ATINA

  • A conversation with ATINA representatives and asylum seekers in Serba 

Moderator: Sanja Polić Penavić, University of Belgrade
11.30am – 12.00pm Coffee Break 
12.00pm – 1.30pm Seminar: Gender and Populations on The Move – Journeys and Beyond 

Presenters: 

Moderator: Natalija Perisic, Full Professor of Social Policy at the University of Belgrade
1.30pm – 2.30pm Lunch
2.30pm – 4.00pm Historical Background – Presentation by Srba and discussion 
4.00pm Group work

Day 10, July 26, 2023  – Theme: Resilience and Solidarity 

10.00am – 11.30am NGO Conversations: Klikaktiv

Moderator: Marina Lažetić
11.30am – 12.00pm  Coffee Break 
12.00pm – 1.30pm NGO Conversations: Crisis Response and Policy Centre (CRPC)

Presenters: 

  • Maja Dragojević, CRPC
  • Rajko Matuško, CRPC

Moderator: Violeta Marković
1.30pm – 2.30pm Lunch
3.00pm-4.30pm Conversations with NGOs: A panel conversation about the work on the US-Mexico Border (Zoom Session) 

  • Andrea Rudnik, Team Brownsville
  • Kaitlin Roberson
  • Cassandra Stewart, Rio Valley Releif Project 

Moderator: Carrie Preston, CFD 
6pm Informal Group Reflection Night 

Readings (and videos): 

Day 11, July 27, 2023 – Theme: Critical Perspectives on Migration and Security 

10.00am – 11.30am NGO Conversations: Border Violence Monitoring Network 

Presenter

  • Elena Beck, BVMN

Moderator: Marina Lažetić
11.30am -12.00pm Coffee Break 
12.00pm-1.30pm Seminar: Border Closures, Violence, and Anti-Immigrant and Extremist Movements 

Presenters: 

  • Marina Lažetić, Director of Programs, CFD 
  • Hope Barker, Senior Policy Analyst, BVMN
  • Sara Ristić, Project Manager, Klikaktiv 
  • Rados Djurovic, President of the Board, Asylum Protection Center

Moderator: Teodora Jovanović, Research assistant, The Institute of Ethnography of Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts
1.30pm-2.30pm Lunch
2.30pm – 4.00pm Seminar: Whose Security? 

Presenters: 

  • Filip Ejdus, Associate Professor of Security Studies, University of Belgrade 
  • Damir Kapidžić, Associate Professor of Comparative Politics, University of Sarajevo
  • Vesko Garčević, Professor of the Practice of International Relations, Boston University 
  • Vladimir Petrović, Lecturer, Boston University 

Moderator: Marina Lažetić, Director of Programs, CFD 
4pm-6pm  Group work 

Readings: 

Day 12, July 28, 2023  – Theme: Migration, Positionality, and Research 

10.00am – 11.30am Research Conversations: Danilo Mandić, Harvard University 
11.30am-12.00pm Coffee Break 
12.00pm -1.30pm Seminar: Positionality and Research 

Presenters: 

Moderators: Teodora  and Marina 
1.30pm-2.30pm Lunch
2.30pm-4.30pm Group Work 
6pm Informal Group Reflection and a Movie Night 

Day 13, July 29, 2023  – Theme: Looking Forward 

10.00am-11.30am Student Presentations 
11.30am – 12.00pm Coffee Break 
12.00pm – 1.30pm Continued Student Presentations 
1.30pm – 2.30pm Lunch
2.30pm-3.00pm Closing remarks 

Day 14, July 30, 2023: Departing Belgrade