Rita Koryan
1902 Sheridan Road
Phone 847.467.1152
Fax 847.467.1996
r-koryan@northwestern.edu

Croatia, the rising star of the Mediterranean, is an oasis of untouched beauty. Its dazzling Adriatic coastline, where the legacies of Romans, Venetians and Habsburgs intermingle, is simply unique. Our six-week Croatia program is designed to provide students with a multi-disciplinary perspective on Dalmatian and Southeast European history, culture and society from the early medieval period to the dissolution of Yugoslavia.  Faculty include leading specialists on the Balkans from the United States, Europe, and Croatia.

The program takes place in the cities of Dubrovnik and Split and on the island of Vis in the Adriatic Sea.  Dubrovnik is a charming city curling around a tiny harbor. Using the city, with its red-roofed 17th-century town houses and Baroque palaces as our text, we focus on Renaissance culture and on the complex political and historical fate of the city and the Dalmatian region. Students make field trips to sites in the surrounding areas, including Montenegro, whose beautiful bays, picturesque villages and vibrant metropolises are major tourist destinations.

Split has been a major urban center for more than 1700 years. The regional capital of Dalmatia, built inside and around the historical Diocletian Palace, Split is a cosmopolitan city draped in history. It is a world heritage site that weaves together imperial memories, traditional Dalmatian culture and modern urban life in its numerous cafes and open-air markets. A long excursion to Komiža on the island of Vis exposes students to the customs and seafaring culture of the Adriatic islands.

Academic Specialties of this program:

Courses take place at the University of Zagreb (Dubrovnik campus) and the University of Split, and are taught by Northwestern University and European experts on architecture, art, cultural history, literature, political science, sociology, history and religion. This experience is designed to provide students with a multi-faceted primer on Croatia, the Adriatic Sea, the former Yugoslavia and the surrounding area.

Courses offered:

Students will enroll in the two courses listed below and receive two Northwestern credits. There is also the option of setting up an independent research study for a third credit. Classes are in English and there is no language prerequisite.

COMP LIT 375-z: Literature and the Arts: Dubrovnik and the Mediterranean
This course focuses on the study of the concentric circles, cultural influences and borrowing centered on Dubrovnik's role as an intermediary between the Balkan hinterland and the Adriatic basin. Topics include the common roots in antiquity and early medieval Christianity, Byzantine commonwealth and the rise of the Latin West, the Renaissance and the Baroque in the shadow of Ottoman conquests, Enlightenment and the rise of national cultures, the culture of Napoleonic revolution and Byronic romanticism, and modernity and its discontents.

HISTORY 391-z: The Rise and Fall of Yugoslavia
This course is a survey of Southeast European history and society from the early medieval period to the dissolution of Yugoslavia. Topics include implications of Ottoman and Habsburg rule, nationalism and wars of independence, crises leading to the Sarajevo assassination, the interwar national question, occupation systems and Communist revolution, and contemporary politics with an emphasis on security and human rights. Specific focus is paid to the aspects leading up to the dissolution of former Yugoslavia.

There is also an optional 3rd independent study course available, contact Rita Koryan for more information.

n/a

This program offers a number of study excursions including a guided tour of Dubrovnik ’s walled Old City, a three day journey to the Republic of Montenegro, a city tour of Split covering the Diocletian`s Palace on UNESCO`s List of World Cultural Heritage with the Peristyle, Jupiter`s Temple and the Cathedral, Tour of the Plitvice Lakes National Park on UNESCO´s List of World Natural Heritage, and a three day excursion to the Island of Vis.

1. Students applying to the Croatia summer program DO NOT need to take the 101 session on Blackboard, as is required of other study abroad students.
2. Students applying to the Croatia summer program must complete the Northwestern Summer Study Abroad Application and must submit it together with the required non-refundable deposit of $1000 by March 5, 2008 to Rita Koryan in the BCICS Office (1902 Sheridan Road).
3. Students must interview with Rita Koryan, the Project Coordinator of BCICS Summer Programs, prior to the application deadline as part of the application process.
4. If you are accepted to the Croatia program, you must purchase the required HTH health insurance.  You will need to submit a photocopy of the HTH receipt showing proof of insurance to Rita Koryan by April 24, 2008. For more information on HTH, please visit this site.