Kosovo 2015 - Young country fosters freedom and democracy

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Program Description

Kosovo 2015 — A Place With a Story to Tell
June 8 - August 4, 2015

This program is ideal for students majoring in Journalism, Media Studies, International Studies, Diplomacy, Social Justice, Sociology, Political Science and related fields. We want to emphasize, however, that undergrads from all majors are welcome, and they have excelled in the Kosovo Program.

Now in its eighth year, the Kosovo Program provides a rare opportunity for students to witness a new country as it develops and Kosovars build the habits of a participatory democracy. Students earn 8 transferable Miami University credits in Media and International Studies classes and intern at an online news agency or NGO, 4 days a week.

This 8-week Miami University summer program is based in the capital, Prishtina. Students attend Media and International Studies classes,
and intern at a news agency or NGO, 4 days a week, with 3-day weekends. Group travel includes daytrips to 2 nearby historic cities, and a 4-day trip to Dubrovnik and the famous beaches of Croatia.

All undergrads take:
• JRN 421 – News Media in a Democracy: Students will examine the reporting practices that aid, inform and engage citizens. We’ll look closely at the crucial role that journalists play in affecting whether communities and societies make progress on problems. (3 credits)

• ITS 365 – Peace Building in the Balkans: Students will examine the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia and the efforts to build a lasting peace, including social justice and economic development. (3 credits)

Student internships are based on majors and interests. Students will enroll in one of these:
• JRN/MAC 340 – Internship: A place with a story to tell. Students will be reporters at KosovaLive News Agency, an independent, online news service that provides written and video stories to the region. Student journalists will focus on in-depth stories that breathe life into the news and describe issues in human terms. (2 credits)
• ITS 340 – Internship: The crucial role of non-profit agencies in a new nation. Students interested in advocacy or social programs will work at a non-governmental organization dealing with topics related to your studies, such as democratization, human rights, and public health. (Partner NGOs selected by faculty.) (2 credits)

Classrooms: Classes will be at KosovaLive with some special sessions at other locations. Courses will be taught by Miami University faculty and will include guest speakers from the region.

Housing: Students will stay in a hotel in the center of Prishtina — safe, secure and convenient to classes, activities and internships. We have a special arrangement with the Grand Hotel Prishtina.

Flights: We will travel as a group, departing the USA on June 8 and returning August 4.

Computers and Internet connection: Each student will need to bring a laptop computer and flashdrive. Students will be able to connect to the Web and through wireless Internet in their classroom and housing, in the KosovaLive newsroom and in NGO offices.

Cell phones: We will have a special group rate for cell phones and service in Kosovo. Students will also want to take advantage of very inexpensive Internet calling to the U.S. via Skype on their laptops.

Student weekend travel: We do permit students to travel independently on their free weekends, so long as their travel plans meet the safety and time concerns of the Kosovo Program faculty. Students must use professional drivers and legitimate transportation companies for their individual trips.

Highlights

Experience tells us that there are a lot of misconceptions about life in Kosovo, because most people only have cloudy notions about that part of southern Europe.
For instance, did you know:
- Half the population of Kosovo is 25 or younger.
- It is the most "wired" country in Europe, per capita.
- Studies by the European Union describe Prishtina, the capital, as one of the safest cities in Europe.
- The landscape of Kosovo and neighboring countries is filled with beautiful mountains, lakes and wilderness areas, for hiking and other outdoor recreation.
- People in Kosovo love Americans because of the help we've given them to gain their independence and continue growing as a democracy.
- Kosovars genuinely want to build a free and open society.
- Kosovo is a fascinating mix of the very modern and the traditional, of European and Ottoman cultures and heritage.
- It is a secular society, built on centuries of religious tolerance (contrary to what you might have read or seen in a movie).
- Hospitality is deeply ingrained in the culture and the Kosovar people are welcoming hosts.
- Young Kosovars are tuned in to music, movies, pop culture and sports in the same ways as young Americans.
- And everyone in Kosovo has a story worth hearing, and worth telling.
- Our Kosovo Program alums always refer to their experience as "life changing."

The combination of coursework, fieldwork and internships in the Kosovo Program, along with the day-to-day living in Pristina, where so many Kosovars speak English, allows students to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges that Kosovo faces and the daily ways that citizens are working to refashion their institutions and build a participatory democracy. Students in this program are befriended by young Kosovars who typically invite them to their family homes, either in Pristina or towns in other parts of the country, which are never more than 90 minutes away, because Pristina is centrally located in this diamond-shaped nation. Getting to know Kosovars helps students understand how the culture is adapting, yet maintaining its close-knit feeling, as family life remains at the heart of Kosovo society.

The group travel also plays a significant role in making the experience rich and deep. Students will see important cultural sights, such as the Patriarche in Peja — an 800-year-old working monastery with chapels where all the kings of Serbia were crowned. They'll also visit the Jashari war memorial, the hilltop fortress in Prizren, historic Mosques, and a new cathedral named for Mother Teresa. They will see key enterprises like the Peja brewery and bottling factory, where the majority of the nation's bottled water and soft drinks are also produced. And in Croatia, they will tour the historic walled city of Dubrovnik, and they will get to relax for a couple days on the beaches of the "Croatian Riviera" -- the Dalmatian coast. These group experiences give students perspective on the complexities of the ongoing issues and challenges of the countries of former Yugoslavia, and an appreciation for the cultures in a part of Europe that not many Americans know.

What`s Included

Tuition for the 8 transferable Miami University credits and registration is $4409.60 for Ohio residents, $7142.15 for non-residents (discounted).
The program fee of $4600 covers roundtrip airfare (we fly as a group), housing for 8 weeks at a hotel in the center of Pristina where we get a special rate (dormitory style rooms), 3 group dinners per week at a popular Pristina restaurant, travel costs (transportation and hotel room) for our two daytrips, and the 4-day trip to Croatia, group lunches on travel days, a group "family plan" for cell phone service in Kosovo, and other related program expenses.

Nearly all scholarships and forms of financial aid apply to the Kosovo 2015 Program.

A good estimate for personal out-of-pocket costs for the 8 weeks is $600-$700.

Subjects

Media and Cultural Studies

Program Locations

Pristina, Kosovo

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Program Details

Provider:
Miami University summer program in Kosovo
Location
  • Kosovo: Pristina
School Term:
Summer
Languages:
English
Participants:
American, WorldWide
Cost:
Tuition - regular Miami Univ. cost of 8 summer credits. plus program fees of $4600 to cover airfare, housing for 8 weeks, 28 group meals, telephone plan, group travel on daytrips and 4-day trip to Croatia, related program expenses.
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