A History Forgotten: Yugoslavia

This thesis and creative project consists of two components. The first is a written analysis of Bosnian identity. It uses primary and secondary sources to get to the question of what it means to be a Bosnian. Readers can expect to learn about the last century and a half of Bosnian history, and how various leaders and experiences have molded the Bosnian people. The work is the combination of six months of research, and four months of writing. I chose this research as I am Bosnian and wanted to learn more about my culture. Through my research, I found that there is a strong Bosnian identity among people. This identity has been present throughout history, even through wars and political turmoil. Ultimately, the writing portion gives readers a background on Bosnian history, and then focuses on the history of identity. The second portion of the project is a two week unit lesson on Yugoslavian history. This lesson includes background on the region, as well as a guide on how an educator may choose to teach this region of the world. The lessons focus primarily on the last one hundred years, but they also include a broader overview of times prior to this. Not only this, but this section includes PowerPoints, lessons, and supplemental readings. The unit can be taught all together, or it can be broken down and lessons can be taken and taught during the time period they apply to. The goal of the two projects is to come together as one. Educators who are unsure about Bosnia can use the writing portion to gain more knowledge, and they can even assign this portion as a reading for more gifted students. The thesis project ultimately explores Yugoslavian and Bosnian history. Although the Unit does not directly align with identity, it does show students that identity plays a major role in this region, especially through the song lesson on day three. The goal of this project was not only to allow myself to gain more knowledge about this region, but to give educators the opportunity to teach a part of the world that is rarely taught in greater detail.