In 1991, the Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies organised with the help of its scientific adviser dr Silva Mežnarić and in cooperation with professors Otto Feinstein (Wayne State University), Heribert Adam (Simon Fraser University) and Kogila Moodly (University of British Columbia) the course „Divided Societies“ at the Interuniversity Centre (IUC) in Dubrovnik. The objective of this course was to gather all important lecturers and researchers in the field of ethnicity, to concentrate and pass on all available knowledge and data to active young researchers from the region and the world, and to compare ethnic conflicts and divisions in different parts of the world. What made the course even more interesting was the fact that it was organised in a region which once again became relevant to those who study ethnicity, nations, nationalism and trans nationalisation. However, the activities of the IUC and the course itself have been suspended due to the war and the occupation of Dubrovnik and were re-launched in 1997. Since 2000, the course „Divided Societies“ has been held regularly in April or May at the IUC in Dubrovnik, gathering lecturers and researchers of all generations and from different parts of the world, as well as postgraduate students and motivated graduates of the University of Zagreb, University of Zadar, Wayne State University from Detroit, University College Dublin and numerous other universities from Europe, Canada, the USA etc.
Board of „Divided Societies“ course directors:
Saša Božić, University of Zadar
Miguel A. Centeno, Princeton University
Simona Kuti, Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies, Zagreb
Siniša Malešević, University College Dublin
Niall Ó Dochartaigh, National University of Ireland, Galway
Daphne Winland, York University, Toronto
Mitja Žagar, Institute for Ethnic Studies, Ljubljana
Emilio Cocco, University of Teramo
Michal Vašečka, Bratislava Policy Institute
International postgraduate course „Divided Societies“ includes lecture programmes for young researchers, postgraduate students and advanced graduate students from Croatia and other countries of the European Union, South-East Europe and North America. The associates of the Institute actively participate in the course using the Institute’s research findings in preparing their lectures. According to student and administration evaluations, the course is one of the most attended and best evaluated postgraduate courses at the IUC, Dubrovnik.