Institute for Historical Justice and Reconciliation

The IHJR seeks to dispel public myths about historic legacies
in societies divided by ethnic conflict

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Closed activities: Scholar's initiative: SI-IHJR Cooperative Project 2005-2007

The IHJR commenced its involvement in the former Yugoslavia in 2005, when it entered into partnership with the Scholars’ Initiative, a regional network that engages scholars and media professionals from the republics, as well as outside the region, in joint research, conferences and publications. Established in 2000 at Purdue University, the Scholars’ Initiative partnered with the IHJR until 2007.

The Initiative’s work is an attempt by scholars to bridge the gap that separated their knowledge of the tragic events of the period 1986-2000 from the proprietary interpretations that nationalist politicians and media have impressed on mass culture.

The Scholars' Initiative recently published Confronting the Yugoslav Controversies, Charles Ingrao and Thomas Emmert (eds.), Purdue University Press, 2009, ISBN: 978-1557535337)

Aim and Objectives

The aim was to seek to narrow the cognitive gap among the various peoples of the former Yugoslavia by simultaneously validating evidence and discrediting unfounded historical myths through a combination of sober scholarship and sustained interaction with media and public officials.

The objective was to bring together leading academic authorities to work together in examining dispassionately key documentary evidence that informs public perceptions of the underlying causes and tragic course of the Yugoslav catastrophe.

Project Description

The Initiative focused its research, analysis and public interaction on eleven key controversies that inform virtually every debate among and between the peoples and politicians of the former Yugoslavia:

1. Kosovo Under Autonomy (1974-1990)
2. The Dissolution of Yugoslavia (1986-91)
3. Independence and the Fate of Minorities (1991-92)
4. "Ethnic Cleansing" and War Crimes Committed (1991-95)
5. International Community & the FRY/Belligerents (1989-95)
6. The Safe Areas (1992-1995)
7. The War in Croatia (1991-1995)
8. Milosevic Kosovo: Rugova & the KLA (1990-99)
9. US/NATO intervention (1998-99)
10. The Hague Tribunal (ICTY)
11. Living Together or Hating Each Other?

Reports on these issues can be read on the Research Team Reports page.

Conferences

• Morovic Conference (September 24-29, 2001)
• Sarajevo Conference (July 6-9, 2002)
• Edmonton Conference (September 12 - 14, 2003)
• Budapest & Skopje Conferences (December 12 - 17, 2004)
• United States Institute of Peace Conference, Washington D.C. (April 19, 2005)
  • Program
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Bibliographies

• Project Participants' Publications
• Research Team Bibliographies