About Balkan Day III
Following on from the hugely successful two previous events The Balkans, its Diasporas, and the Stories of Material Culture; and Eating the Balkans: Language, Cuisine, and Cultural Meaning, the organisers are getting together for another day of in-depth discussion. This time, the focus will be on the multilingualism in the Balkans.
This event explores the Balkan diaspora’s linguistic landscape, focusing on how non-standardised and marginalised languages shape social difference and discrimination. By gathering leading academics, writers, and community organisers, the discussion centres on an anti-ethnonationalist ethos to challenge mainstream narratives.
The program aims to make complex sociolinguistic theories accessible while fostering interethnic solidarity. Through the lens of transnational mobility and community education, speakers will highlight lived experiences often excluded from history. Ultimately, the event seeks to transcend traditional boundaries, creating an inclusive dialogue around the diverse cultural and linguistic repertoires that define this fertile creative space.
A display of selected materials from the SSEES Library collection will feature at the event.
A UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies PROLang Group and the British Library Seminar.
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Full programme
16.00 – 16.15: Opening remarks
with Ramona Gonczol and Milan Grba.
16.15 – 16.45: Keynote speech
Petros Karatsareas (Reader in Multilingualism and Language Contact at the University of Westminster), Balkan multilingualisms, past and present, in and beyond the Balkans.
(Chair: Milan Grba, Lead Curator South East European Collections, The British Library)
16.45 – 17.15: Lightning talks
Arbër Qerka-Gashi, Writer and Community Organiser, on the use of a localised pidgin language in Rahovec, Kosovo.
Jelena Sofronijevic, Producer and Writer, will read from her research with artist (and translator) Zeljko Kujundzic (1920 – 2003).
Nick Nasev, Translator and Editor, on Balkan multilingualism in the diaspora.
17.15 – 17.30: Q&A
17.30 – 17.45: A short break
17.45 – 18.15: Panel discussion on SSEES Languages Short Courses Programme
with a display of collection items from the SSEES Library: tutors Mirela Xhaferraj and Ana Ilievska Završnik, will present the courses offered in 18 languages and why SSEES is the best place to learn your Balkan languages. Suzana Tamamović, Librarian for South East Europe at UCL SSEES Library, will touch upon the challenges of managing the multilingual SSEES Library Balkan collections and the library’s role in studies of the region.
(Chair: Ramona Gonczol, Associate Professor in Romanian, The University College London, School of Slavonic and East European Studies)
18.15 – 18.45: Reception
Join us for a glass or wine or juice and mingle with the participants in today’s event!
18.45: End
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