SPS522 Ethnic and National Identity
SPS522 Ethnic and National Identity
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Mar 03, 2026
Syllabus Quick Jump
Search and navigate to any syllabus instantly
Political Science and International Relations
Mustafa Krupalija
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
The course objective is to introduce key theoretical approaches to ethnic and national identity, examining their evolution across historical and cultural contexts. It explores the development of nationalism and the nation-state's impact on identity formation. The course analyzes how ethnicity, race, religion, gender, and language shape social identity and collective belonging. It also examines how narratives of identity are constructed and challenged in response to issues like migration, globalization, and multiculturalism. Students will investigate the role of identity politics and ethnic conflict in social movements and their human rights implications.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Theories of Nationalism: A Critical Introduction, 2nd ed., Umut Ozkirimli, Palgrave Macmillan, 2010. Ozkirimli Umut.. Contemporary Debates On Nationalism: A Critical Engagement .Red Globe Press. 2005
Additional Literature
Peter Ratcliffe. 2004. 'Race', Ethnicity, and Difference, Imagining the Inclusive Society. Open University Press. Roger Brubaker. 1994. "Nationhood and the National Question in the Soviet Union and Post-Soviet Eurasia: An Institutionalist Account". Theory and Society, Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 47-78. Springer. Heather M. Campbell. 2009. The Britannica Guide to Political and Social Movements That Changed the Modern World. Rosen Education Service.Teaching Methods
Lecturing
Student presentations
Class simulation and discussions
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction | |
| 2 | Ethnicity, Race and Nation | Ozkirimli, 2010 |
| 3 | Early Debates and Discussions | Ozkirimli, 2010 |
| 4 | Discourses and Debates on Nationalism | Ozkirimli, 2010 |
| 5 | Ethnicity and Primordialism | Ozkirimli, 2010 |
| 6 | Modernism 1 | Ozkirimli, 2010 |
| 7 | Modernism 2 | Ozkirimli, 2010 |
| 8 | Midterm exam | |
| 9 | Ethnosymbolism | Ozkirimli, 2010 |
| 10 | Contemporary Approaches to Nationalism | Contemporary Debates, 2005 |
| 11 | The normative claims and Nationalism | Contemporary Debates, 2005 |
| 12 | Nationalism, Multiculturalism and Liberalism | Contemporary Debates, 2005 |
| 13 | Globalization and nationalism | Contemporary Debates, 2005 |
| 14 | Rethinking Nationalism and Ethnicities | Contemporary Debates, 2005 |
| 15 | Review |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPS522.1 | Course | Thursday 18:00 - 20:50 | B F1.1 FBA Graduate Seminar Room | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 12:00 - 15:00 | A F1.9 | |
| Friday | 13:00 - 14:00 | A F1.9 |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
in-Class Panel
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
Active participation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture hours
42 hours ⏳ (14 week × 3 h)
Individual learning
45 hours ⏳ (15 week × 3 h)
in-class Panel
28 hours ⏳ (7 week × 4 h)
Final exam
35 hours ⏳ (7 week × 5 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [SPS522] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Mar 03, 2026 | International University of Sarajevo
Print Syllabus
Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| SPS522 | Ethnic and National Identity | 3 | 1 | 6 | ||||||
| Prerequisite | None | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Mustafa Krupalija | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Tuesday: 12:00-15:00 Friday: 13:00-14:00 |
|||||||
| mkrupalija@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | The course objective is to introduce key theoretical approaches to ethnic and national identity, examining their evolution across historical and cultural contexts. It explores the development of nationalism and the nation-state's impact on identity formation. The course analyzes how ethnicity, race, religion, gender, and language shape social identity and collective belonging. It also examines how narratives of identity are constructed and challenged in response to issues like migration, globalization, and multiculturalism. Students will investigate the role of identity politics and ethnic conflict in social movements and their human rights implications. |
|||||||||
| Textbook | Theories of Nationalism: A Critical Introduction, 2nd ed., Umut Ozkirimli, Palgrave Macmillan, 2010. Ozkirimli Umut.. Contemporary Debates On Nationalism: A Critical Engagement .Red Globe Press. 2005 | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Lecturing, student presentations, class simulation and discussions | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Introduction | |||||||||
| Week 2 | Ethnicity, Race and Nation | Ozkirimli, 2010 | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Early Debates and Discussions | Ozkirimli, 2010 | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Discourses and Debates on Nationalism | Ozkirimli, 2010 | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Ethnicity and Primordialism | Ozkirimli, 2010 | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Modernism 1 | Ozkirimli, 2010 | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Modernism 2 | Ozkirimli, 2010 | ||||||||
| Week 8 | Midterm exam | |||||||||
| Week 9 | Ethnosymbolism | Ozkirimli, 2010 | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Contemporary Approaches to Nationalism | Contemporary Debates, 2005 | ||||||||
| Week 11 | The normative claims and Nationalism | Contemporary Debates, 2005 | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Nationalism, Multiculturalism and Liberalism | Contemporary Debates, 2005 | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Globalization and nationalism | Contemporary Debates, 2005 | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Rethinking Nationalism and Ethnicities | Contemporary Debates, 2005 | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Review | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 40 | 1,2,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| in-Class Panel | 1 | 40 | 1,2,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Active participation | 1 | 20 | 1,2,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture hours | 3 | 14 | 42 | Individual learning | 3 | 15 | 45 | |||
| in-class Panel | 4 | 7 | 28 | Final exam | 5 | 7 | 35 | |||
| 0 | 0 | |||||||||
| 0 | 0 | |||||||||
| 0 | 0 | |||||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 11/03/2026 | |||||||||