When Borders are Sealed: Refugees, Smugglers and Humanitarian Aid Along the Closed Balkan Route
This teacher training workshop will inform teachers about the current situation of refugees along the so-called 'Balkan Route.' The Route was effectively closed in 2016 after most countries along the route sealed their borders and the EU-Turkey deal went into effect. But despite the increased difficulties in crossing borders, people desperate for the security of Western Europe find a way to slip through the barriers with help from smugglers. With a wave of populism engulfing much of the Western world and xenophobia on the rise, what will happen to these vulnerable people who have left everything behind and dream of a better life in the West? The content for the workshop comes from fieldwork conducted in Hungary and Serbia in February 2017.
Participating teachers will receive a $50 stipend, a contact hours certificate, the book The New Odyssey: The Story of Europe's Refugee Crisis, and the opportunity to earn an additional $75 for completing a lesson plan by June 1 (optional.)
Please RSVP to metz.235@osu.edu if you are interested in attending the workshop.
