Why Kosovo? Why Now?

WHY KOSOVO? WHY NOW?
Ruth Lepage
April 1999

PURPOSE:

"At the heart of the Balkan wars lies nationalism rooted in historical ethnic divisions. The movement of peoples, particularly the Ottoman Turks, across this area has turned it into a battlefield many times over the centuries. The current clashes over Kosovo have created a flood of refugees, further destabilizing the region." (1999 Washington Post)

The unit focuses on the evolution of the modern state of Yugoslavia and the ethnic differences that have led to the evacuation of Kosovo. Historical geography, human geography and movement have combined to create the present situation.

OBJECTIVES:

To understand the establishment of the modern state of Yugoslavia and the breakup of the country.
To examine the human characteristics of the region - ethnic groups, languages, and religions.
To understand how ethnic differences, history, and politics have combined to create the conflict in Kosovo.
To examine solutions that may lead to peace in the region.

GEOGRAPHY STANDARDS:

#4 The physical and human characteristics of places.
#10 The characteristics, distribution and complexity of the Earth's cultural mosaics.
#13 How the forces of co-operation and conflict among people influence the division and control of the Earth's surface.
#17 How to apply geography to interpret the past.
#18 How to apply geography to interpret the present and plan for the future.

MATERIALS:

Background content on Yugoslavia and Kosovo
Historical maps of the region
Reference map of the former Yugoslavia
Ethnic majority map
Ethnic information about the people of the former Yugoslavia
Note cards
Colored pencils

VOCABULARY:

Balkans
peninsula
NATO
Slavic
refugee
ethnic cleansing

PROCEDURE:

Part 1
Have student make a KWL chart. Show photos of events in magazines and newspapers. Ask: What are these photos about? Have students list what they know under the K on their chart. Make a class list on chart paper. Then ask: What do you want to know? List their responses under the W. Make a class list on chart paper. Have the students transfer their questions to note cards, one question per note card. Have the students group similar cards together. Divide the class into groups and have them research the answers. (To be done over course of unit)

Ask: Where is Yugoslavia? After a few responses, ask them to find Yugoslavia on the desk map; then, an atlas. Hand out blank maps of the former Yugoslavia. Have them name and color the areas as follow.

Slovenia, color one
Croatia, color two
Bosnia-Herzogovina, color three
Serbia, color four
Montenegro, color four
Macedonia, color five
Kosovo, color four
Vojvodina, color four

The colored areas represent Yugoslavia ten years ago. The areas colored with the color four represent Yugoslavia today. Help the students come up with generalizations about the area. Ask the to identify the countries that surround Yugoslavia today, and write those relative locations on the back of the map.

Part 2
Display the chart of the People of Former Yugoslav Republics. What differences are there? Similarities? What problems might occur? Discuss with the students the significance of the ethnic diversity of the region and the historic distrust and differences these groups have for each other. Look at the ethnic majority map of the former Yugoslavia. What problems could occur? Analyze and discuss the problems inherent with patterns of settlement.

Follow with teacher directed background information of the region. Students will make timelines of important events using handouts, students input and lecture. Use blow ups of historical maps to illustrate the political structure of the region and the changing boundaries within the Balkan region, past and present.

Part 3
Student groups are given class time to put together their research and report to the class. Other students will take notes and ask questions. Complete their KWL.

Part 4
Have students suggest some settlements of the problems in the region. Make another class list. Guide them: Does the answer lie in an independent Kosovo? Is that feasible? What role should the United Nations, NATO, the United States and other nations play in trying to settle the problem? Will everybody be happy? Add to or delete from the settlement ideas. Have students do multi-voting to choose a class answer.

ASSESSMENT:

The class reports, KWL charts and a paragraph answering the questions: Why Kosovo? Why now? They need to include who, what, where, when, why and how.

RESOURCES:

Boyd, Andrew. AN ATLAS OF WORLD AFFAIRS, 9th ed. Routledge Press. New York. 1991.

Dimitrijevic, Vojin. "The Sad State of Serbia". THE HONOLULU ADVERTISER. B1,4. April 4, 1999.

"The Face of Evil" NEWSWEEK. April 19, 1999.

A Kosovo Primer. TIME.com 1999.

Pierce, Steve. "The Changing Face of Former Yugoslavia". ILI. July, 1995.

THE WASHINGTON POST section B. April 11, 1999.

"We're Trapped". NEWSWEEK. Pages 27-36. April 12, 1999.

WORLD FACTS AND MAPS. 1999. Rand McNally.