The Pitt in Romania: Identity and Global Politics program is a five-week program that will immerse students in political, economic, social, and cultural environments that differ significantly from the United States. The questions that motivate this program are: by what processes do people construct (trans)national identities and what are their historical and contemporary socio-political consequences? By engaging with these questions in the Romanian context, and particular attention to the experiences of ethnic, national, religious, and gender minorities, students will: (1) examine how people in Romania come to see themselves as Romanians; (2) explore tensions, contradictions, and conflicts that arise from varied conceptions of nationality; and (3) investigate how national and European identities interact in the institutional context of the European Union and against the backdrop of Romania’s historical transition from Socialist totalitarianism to Capitalist parliamentary democracy. Students will become more proficient in historical developments specific to Romania, East Europe, and the EU and strengthen their ability to identify generalizable socio-political processes.

The program, which will start in early June 2024, is expected to include two weeks in Bucharest, Romania with an additional 2-3 weeks of travel in the historic and culturally diverse Transylvania region of Romania. Applications are open until January 22, 2024.