OVERVIEW

Proposal for a Change

1. Theoretical Approach

A change of the educational paradigm and methodological styles in the SEE has to start from an input from academic community. The reconstruction of the scientific discourse on the national history in SEEC, as well as on the SEE/Balkan history as a whole, has tostart from the need to distinguish between the various stages of this historical and cultural construction. Most of scholars already recognised that, in the case of Balkans, and most of SEE various national histories, we have to face real Myths. This fact resut in a series of challenges to researchers and academia, but also to the whole educational system.

An essential role in the analysis and the understanding of SEE history is played by Western European and, more recently, US cultural and ideological perceptions/stereotypes. In respect to this understanding and its consequences on the academic system during the two last centuries, there are at least two main stages of this process:

The "(re) discovery" of the SEE realities/cultures which led to most of the current stereotypes, misperceptions or subjective mythologies on SEE and Balkan civilization - as, for example, the most mentioned features like cruelty, the fatidic unclear inclination towards barbarian manners, the rudeness, the instability, the impredictibility of reactions/mentalities (identification of Balkans as a depreciative opposite of "Europe" as the rational pole;
The "invention" of the Balkans and Balkan culture as a further reductionistic approach, used in order to simplify and justify the neglect of these "peripheral" areas of Europe by the West.

Main trends of historiographical research on SEE are deeply influenced by a reduced number of Western ideological prejudices on the civilisational chances of this region. SEE historians themselves paradoxically reacted to these prejudices through a consolidation of various ethnocentric myths within their own descriptions of Balkan histories. Strong, frequently subliminal ideologisation of the whole teaching methods and curricula themselves poisoned the effort towards emancipation (de-construction of previous stereotypes and understanding of various historical myths) of SEE historians.

Following the analytical approach proposed by Maria Todorova in Imagining the Balkans in order to re-design the SEE histories, we first need to submit all previous ways of presenting these cultures/histories to a multicultural and relativist examination. Such process is needed itself for criticizing the still persistent racist - purist perceptions, and reflect the real source of conflict affecting the SEE histories: the natural ethnic (and cultural) complexity within the Nation-State imagined by the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

In this respect, there are two recommended strategies able to offer the chance to renovate the SEEC educational process referring to the teaching materials and methodologies:

To proceed to an analytical critique, and probably, to a de-construction of the supposed division line between the so-called MittelEuropa, interpreted itself as an identity challenge addressed to historians.
To revisit the nature of the Balkans and the historical myths of the Balkans, in order to make a clear methodological distinction between the two types of cultural constructions (Central Europe and Balkans).

This strategic renovation is a complex process, which should start from SEE historians themselves. Here we will enumerate some important changes to be operated by historians in their attempt to rethink on the interpretation of SEE histories.

To reorient the SEE historical research and interpretations from a strong accent on the separation between local/regional and foreign (Ottoman/Phanariot influences) towards a stress on the various continuities and the life of institutions in SEEC.
To revise the main opposite historical interpretations on the Ottoman heritage: from the point of view of an outsider (accordinly, this heritage could be analysed in an objective way, in various regions where such influence operated) and of an insider (according to this another one, the approach is, in the same time, subjective and retrospective and sees in Balkans a complex unity and inter-action of customs, attitudes and believes; this implies that the Ottoman heritage is considered as the centre of the historical continuity in SEE region).
To deepen the analysis of the significance of the historical continuity vs. secession process within the transforming of the Ottoman heritage in a certain common perception.

In order to understand the features of a common regional identity, historians should concentrate on the influence of common problems and issues faced by the SEEC. An inventory of common problems could help to a more adequate understanding and explanation of the modernisation process in Balkans.
An important place has to be given to the study of the various forms of SEE nationalisms, of their generally "defensive character" and of the role of national elites in relation to the Ottoman influences. The generated contradictions and controversial processes, as for example, the marginalisation of Muslim communities after the defeat of the Ottoman Empire, are to be revisited without the previous cultural or ideological prejudices.
Apart form the study of the axis of traditional Balkan cultures - the Western civilisation, and Ottoman culture-Western societies, historians should conduct research on the ignored axis Balkan-Ottoman. This would allow the various historiographical studies to liberate themselves from the parochial spirit and the weak awareness concerning the history of neighboring countries/communities.
The historical studies should be theoretically prepared to distinguish between the common Western features/perceptions on Balkans and the national peculiarities, proved by the degree of assuming stereotypes by current SEE scientific and educational approaches.

Our effort is to emphasize the need for a more balanced and nuanced picture and interpretation of historical facts, country by country, and at a regional level.

From a theoretical point of view, the Balkans have to deeply transform its (self-)perception as the negative alternative to the civilisated Europe. This implies a long process of reading again documents and historical testimonies, to avoid prejudices in interpreting these sources and looking for establishing criteria for evaluating historical facts.

All proposals coming from students, researchers and professors will be carefully collected, debated and ordered for being included within the White Paper to be published in May 2003.

II. The Methodological Dimension

Our presentation is formulated starting from the Recommendation no. 1238/1996 and the Recommendation no 15/2001 of the Council of Europe. In the framework of the creation of the newly united Europe, and of reforming respective educational curricula, a crucial issue concerning the teaching of national history in SEEC is considered to be the development of useful life-time abilities and concepts.

A. Such key-concepts are providing by themselves a method aimed to: organise the historic concepts and ideas; produce needed generalisations at the SEE level; identify similarities and differences between various Balkan histories/mentalities/destinies; discovery of certain operational models and potential interdepencies.

According to Robert Stradling, there are two types of relevant concepts:

of first degree, such as general European historical concepts;
of second degree or technical concepts, exclusively adequate for the scientific historical discourse (continuity, change, chronology, causality, comparison and historic sources).

B. The main problem is how to make a balance between, on the one hand, the dissemination of historic knowledge, the development of skills related to the critical analysis, the interpretation/evaluation of historical sources, and, on the other hand, the cultivation of a feeling of History itself, liberated from ideological manipulations or previous nationalistic distortions/perceptions. A difficulty is represented by the lack of a clear repertory of information and abilities required for helping the pupils to evaluate the legitimacy of certain historical testimonies or to identify the single perspective of the author of a certain historical document. This fact seems to be the result of the axiologic crisis and of the ultra-relativistic perspectives dominating the whole collective imaginary and academic life.

C. In order to deeply renew the methodological orientations in SEEC, we aim to reconsider especially the role and the place of the teacher during the class of history. This situation involves a special attention granted to the active learning, to the learning through exploration, to the use of group learning or independent learning, to the debates involving all pupils or to the access towards a variety of historical sources.

D. The SEEC teachers are to confront themselves not only with the local/general scientific "taboo", stereotypes and misperceptions, nut also with the reality of a persistent sensitive and controversial issues in the whole SEE region.

First of all, the SEE teachers are to understand themselves the inherent controversial character of certain historical facts/data.

Secondly, they have to acquire abilities to cultivate to their pupils/students skills and ways to consider controversial issues of their national history in a SEE context. The pupils/students are to deepen specific abilities concerning:

the critical analysis of the historical sources and of their way to be interpreted in various contexts, periods, countries, political systems;
how to formulate the analytical questions on public declarations, articles in the media, comments within document films, radio statements etc. ;
abilities to analyse the language used within various historical documents, analysis, and comments.

The White Paper will examine the potential recommended educational strategies to be focused within the further reform of methodological tools and content of curricula in the SEE region.

In respect to the sensitive issues, we will insist on: distance strategies, rewarding strategies, emphatic strategies and exploration strategies, adapted to the current stage of transition of educational systems/societies.

E. A peculiar attention is to be paid to the introduction and the "analysis" of the visual materials, implying an analytical plan to be elaborated by teachers. This methodological tool is relatively new for SEE teachers. They have to learn basic elements of semiotic interpretation of the visual materials (pictures, drawings, caricatures etc.).

F. The use of simulation and of the playing roles-game is important in order to offer a clearer interpretation of events and significant topics for the every day life of communities along the history of SEE. Due to previous historical/political conditions, such games could be very sensitive for both teachers and pupils/students. They provide the advantage of improving the historic knowledge and abilities, and could support a more radical change of the educational act. Practically speaking, Stradling recommends these games because they familiarise the pupils/students for:

a deeper active participation and co-operation with other colleagues for fulfilling a common objective;
exerting the tolerance spirit in front of certain ideas and other’s points of view;
developing and using more the communication skills;
demonstrating their own capacity to use the previous knowledge in order to reconstruct an event or a situation.

A debriefing session is highly recommended. The distribution of roles is very important for the success of the games. In the same time, in order to meet expectations, it is needed to collect enough data for constituting the database for taking decisions, deploying negotiations and start debates. For avoiding potential confusions, especially within a controversial environment as the SEE space used to be, it is suitable to identify a concrete result of the game - to take a decision, to find an agreement, to set up the terms of a treaty etc. A final evaluation of the simulation is fruitful for propose further exercises of this type.

G. The requirement of a "multi-perspective" approach represents a challenge for the whole teaching system in the field of national history in SEE.

Within such approach, three objectives are to be taken into consideration:

to influence a larger understanding of historical events, considering similarities and peculiarities from the various versions of the involved counterparts;
to stimulate a deeper understanding of the historical relationships between nations or States or between majority and national minorities within the same State;
to support a clearer picture of the previous historical dynamic, through an examination of the inter-actions between the involved peoples and groups, as well as of their interdependence.

The above mentioned approach is to increase the complexity of the understanding process of students. Such perspective is to assume that personal identities are progressive constructions, deeply inter-connected to larger national/regional identity constructions.

H. Another significant orientation consists in the positioning of the "multi-perspective" approach within a clear SEE historical context. For this purpose, we have to study and recommend various methodological techniques:

the re-invention of the past, starting from the Another perspective, especially for not marginalising ethnic or national minorities’ role within the regional history;
the opening of links with other SEE schools;
the analyis of the media and Internet articles;
to use the common emphatic approach within the history classes.

I. The White Paper is to underline the signification to add to the history taught in schools the other following resources:

the local history methods;
the visit of important historical places;
the various museums and exhibitions;
the Internet documentation potential.

In the same context, we plan to recommend a more flexible framework for the history curricula, optional topics, designed to properly integrate the history of various SEE minorities (demographically, dominant in certain areas), and of local communities.

J. The national history as well as the history of the SEE region as a whole should much better integrate and explore the European dimension within the teaching perspective, its specific relevance for SEE history, mainly using:

the inter-connection between various historical issues, common for various European regions, or affecting the SEE region;
the cross-border topics and events;
study-cases attached to the European influence and mutual inter-action of historical events or phenomena;
connections and inter-cultural connections ( see the possibilities offered by the Programme of the Council of Europe "Cultural Itineraries" and an extension of the classes of patrimony);
the new accent provided by the multi-perspective when focusing common, cross-border or European historical facts, events, mentalities etc.;
a new spirit for integrating the history curricula within the social and civic education educational perspective.

An urgency is represented by the need for an analysis for identifying the common issues to be addressed within a new SEE educational perception and way of teaching/understanding the national histories and the whole Balkan history. This attempt will generate to students a capacity to negotiate and to communicate in inter-cultural situations. Such intercultural approach is to be primarily based on personal experiences rather than theory.

K. Finally, the link from the teaching of history and the education for an active citizenship are closely related. The methodology of teaching history stimulates a "multi-perspective" approach. In this context, this allows a respect for the moral principles, implying that any judgment should be based on evidences and a balance between various points of view rationally argumentated.

A profound process of reflecting on the reform of the teaching and curricula in the field of histories will be strongly attached to a meditation on past and future and their progressive interaction. In the case of SEE region, all practical efforts and technical measures are to be imagined and formulated from now.