Higher Education in Divided Societies: Between Ethnic Segregation and Citizenship Integration in Kosovo

Year 2019, Issue: 1, 90 - 96, 01.04.2019

Bekim Balıqı

Abstract

In the post-conflict societies, education can be a crucial component of political transformation, contributing to peace and reconciliation between former adversaries. However, education continues to be at the centre of ongoing disputes between Kosovo and Serbia, resulting in ethnically parallel education systems. Based on the case of Kosovo, this research examines how ethnic mobilisation and political dynamics are reflected in the Universities, and what can be done to establish integrated higher education. The article follows theory guided process tracing based on a case study and content analysis of relevant reports and legal acts by comparing parallel running universities of two major ethnic communities. The central claim is that dissolving of the parallel university and developing of unitary higher education system improves long-term ethnic relations. Further, it discusses citizenship education as an incentive in integrated higher education that promotes peace in post-conflict societies

Keywords

Higher education, Divided society, Kosovo, Citizenship education, Integration

Bölünmüş Toplumlarda Yükseköğretim: Kosova’da Etnik Ayrışma ve Vatandaşlık Entegrasyonu Arasında

Abstract

Çatışma sonrası toplumlarda, eğitim, eski muhalifler arasında barış ve uzlaşmaya katkıda bulunan, politik dönüşümün önemli bir bileşeni olabilir. Ancak, eğitim, Kosova ile Sırbistan arasındaki devam eden anlaşmazlıkların merkezinde olmaya devam ediyor ve etnik olarak paralel eğitim sistemlerine yol açıyor. Kosova örneğine dayanarak, bu araştırma, üniversitelerde etnik seferberliğin ve siyasi dinamiklerin nasıl yansıtıldığını ve bütünleşik yüksek öğrenim kurmak için neler yapılabileceğini inceliyor. Makale, iki büyük etnik topluluğun paralel çalışan üniversitelerini karşılaştırarak bir vaka çalışması ve ilgili raporların ve yasal düzenlemelerin içerik analizine dayanan teorik rehberlik sürecini takip etmektedir. Temel iddia, paralel üniversitenin çözülmesinin ve üniter yükseköğretim sisteminin geliştirilmesinin uzun vadeli etnik ilişkileri geliştirmesidir. Ayrıca, vatandaşlık eğitimini çatışma sonrası toplumlarda barışı destekleyen entegre yükseköğretimde bir teşvik olarak ele almaktadır

Keywords

Yükseköğretim, Bölünmüş toplum, Kosova, Vatandaşlık eğitimi, Entegrasyon

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