Peacebuilding and Reconciliation in the Balkans

Opening Up: A Conflict Transformation Podcast

On today’s episode, we are excited to share a story of an experiential learning opportunity for exploring peacebuilding and intercultural competence (ICC). The CT interns lead a conversation with professor Thor Sawin. At the time of recording, Sawin was associate professor at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, and has since taken on the role of Associate Dean of Language Schools for curriculum. Sawin has 20 years of teaching experience at the undergraduate and graduate levels in the United States, Lithuania, South Korea and China, as well as in summer secondary-level programs in Korea, Taiwan and Albania.

Sawin has led several experiential learning trips to the former Yugoslavia to explore national identity, education, language, and culture, and how these and other factors fuel tensions and conflict within each country. This is a longstanding course at MIIS and offers an invaluable opportunity to see and understand post-conflict reconstruction, language and communication, and national identity in process.

· For a story on the 2022 trip: https://www.middlebury.edu/institute/advancing-your-career/career-guide/field-work-students-share-photos-immersive-peacebuilding-course

· For information about the most recent trip: https://sites.miis.edu/balkans/

· About Thor Sawin: https://www.middlebury.edu/announcements/announcements/2023/04/thor-sawin-appointed-associate-dean-language-schools

· About Thor Sawin:https://www.middleburycampus.com/article/2023/04/thor-sawin-named-new-associate-dean-of-middlebury-language-schools-for-curriculum